Promises Are Eternal, Rewritten
by The Gemini Sage
Summary: Link promises Zelda he'll never leave her, then seemingly commits suicide. Now it's up to Zelda to figure out the truth before she's married off to an evil prince. Can Link's promise reach from beyond the grave? ZeLink, warnings inside.
1. Prologue, Rewritten

**Notes:** This is a fic I started a long time ago. I got almost to the end and computer crashes frustrated me into quitting for a long time. I'm going to rewrite it, now, but before you start reading, here are a few warnings.

**This fic contains ZeLink. This fic bashes Zelda's father just a little. This fic is a fluffy gooey sugary romance without a lot of meat on its bones. This fic has mild swearing and violence, but no real sex. This fic is the victim of a dastardly two-dimensional victim. This fic has excessive flashbacks, at least one every chapter. This fic has a small amount of head-hopping. This fic has a male Shiek who is not Zelda. This fic has an OC that plays a minor part who is not a Sue. (I think. Pretty sure she isn't.) This fic has character death, tons and tons of cheese and a (spoiler) ridiculously happy ending (end spoiler). On the bright side, this fic has very few mistakes such grammar and spelling errors, typos, and plotholes. **

_If any of this bothers you, stop reading right now! _

Goodness. Thank you for your time, but no thank you! It shouldn't be that hard, but I write yaoi too (different account...), and you'd be amazed at the number of people who will review a yaoi fic to tell me the characters aren't gay. I know they're not gay! That's why I'm resorting to fanfiction. And I know in the game, there's no real evidence of Link and Zelda being in love. This is my interpretation. Don't come into the story reading those warning and then review to tell me that the villain is two-dimensional. It just wastes everyone's time, and it makes you look just a little silly. Thank you for the con-crit, and the time taken to read and review, but I've given you your fair warning. I'm aware of the flaws listed above and probably won't fix most of them because this is such an old story. However, I do feel the people who faithfully read and reviewed deserve an ending, because _they_ like this story. So, this is it.

**Any chapter not followed by (Rewrite) is part of the old version. The quality of the writing will go down. This notice will be removed one the rewrite is complete.**

One last thing: In this story, we are assuming that Link didn't go back in time at the end of Ocarina of Time, but stayed with Zelda because he _loves_ her.

Enjoy!

_The song for this chapter is "Ocarina of Time" from the Ocarina of Time soundtrack. Try looking up "ZREO" if you want an orchestrated version._

Prologue

The autumn afternoon was dry and cold, wind whipping Zelda's hair around her and sticking it to her wet face, shaking the last few brown leaves off the bare braches of Kakariko Graveyard and swirling them around her. She'd been crying on and off all day; her eyes felt gritty and dry, but despite that, the ache in her chest still hadn't gone away, and she didn't think it ever would. Inside she was as cold as she was outside, but she couldn't feel the cold wind the way she felt her grief. Dry grass crunched underfoot as she approached the freshly-dug grave she was here to see, replaced by dirt that had covered his body. The funeral had just ended, and she was here to say goodbye.

"How do I go on without him, Impa?" she murmured, kneeling in front of the tombstone, fingers tracing over the letters of his name. "He was my support, he was my guidance...he meant _everything_ to me."

Impa, a few feet behind her, made no move to approach the young princess, and held up a hand when her children Jesslyn and Sheik made to move forward. "I know, Zelda. But you're not alone in this world, you have to remember that."

"I'll never see him again." Zelda leaned against the chilly gravestone and started crying again, hand falling limply in her lap. "I loved him. I loved him so much."

"We'll all miss him, Zelda," Sheik said quietly. "But he wouldn't want you to be like this..."

"He'd want you to be happy!" Jesslyn agreed. "He loved you too, you know."

Zelda swallowed. "...you're right," she agreed, and forced herself up to her feet. She had duties to do for her country, after all; she had no time to mourn. "Goodbye," she whispered to the headstone, and approached Impa, who wrapped a shawl around the princess's shoulders and led her away from the gravestone. A few dead leaves took the place where Zelda had been kneeling, and swirled around the now-abandoned grave.

_Here lies Link  
Hero of Time, friend of the people  
Beloved of our Princess Zelda_

* * *

One year later, on the anniversary of Link's death, Zelda ran away from home, or tried, at any rate. But the guards were too many and the walls too high, so she tried to calm her suffocating sense of dread and instead went into the castle's gardens and picked herself a single lavender rose. It reminded her of Link, because it was the first kind of flower he'd ever given her.

_"A purple rose?" Zelda asked, surprised._

_"Lavender," Link corrected. "Or as close as I could get to lavender, anyway. I know red is supposed to mean love, but lavender is love at first sight...and that's always how I felt about you."_

_"Oh, Link...that's so sweet..."_

She put the vase up in her room. It was too late to mourn, she knew, and too late to escape her fate, but she would always remember.

But remembering, it turned out, was how it all began.


	2. Chapter One, Rewritten

**Notes:** Chapter One is rewritten!

_The song for this chapter is "Zelda's Lullaby" from the Hyrule Symphony Album.  
_

Chapter One

_"...I'll always be here if you need me, Zelda, and all you gotta do is call for me."_

_"Always? You promise?"_

_"Of course! Don't you know that already?"_

_"Well..."_

_"Give me one good reason you have to think otherwise."_

_"Maybe you'll meet another woman..."_

_"There are other women?"_

_"Maybe you'll get offered lots of money..."_

_"Who needs money?"_

_"Hmm. You'll always be there? Always?"_

_"You bet! I'll never leave you alone, Zelda. That's a promise."_

Zelda opened her eyes and at once wished she hadn't; her dream had been so good, and the bright morning light coming through her curtains was enough to make her groan. Head throbbing already and eyes dry from last night's crying, she grabbed the pillow nearest to her and put it over her head. She did not want to face this day...

There was a soft knock at her door.

"I'm awake," Zelda called roughly. "Who is it?"

"It's Jesslyn." A pause. "I brought your dress...I came to help you get ready."

"Come in," Zelda said reluctantly, sitting up now. She gave Jesslyn one hopeless, bleak look before getting out of bed and walking over to the table to look down at the rose she had set there last night. "Have you heard any word from Impa?"

Jesslyn set the dress down on the bed and glanced up once. "Ye-es...Mother's doing well. She sends her condolences, she says she wishes there was more she could do..."

"Getting exiled isn't enough?" Zelda asked. Just the thought made her cross; Sheik and Impa had both been thrown out of Hyrule's official borders some months ago for trying to get Zelda out of the very thing she was about to face. Only Zelda's pleading with her father had prevented them from being executed. Now Jesslyn had taken her mother's place as Zelda's nursemaid, and she was the only link Zelda had left with her old friends.

"No," Jesslyn answered now. "I wish it were."

"...I tried to run away last night," Zelda confessed, out of nowhere.

"I know," Jesslyn said back just as easily, straightening the frills on Zelda's dress where it lay on the bed and going to get the hair things out of the drawers. "...I'm so sorry, I know I ought not've. But I followed you...I wanted to see you safely away."

Zelda swallowed, remembering the terrible, suffocating sense of fear she'd felt when she realized there was no way out. She should have made a break for it sooner... "I can't do this. I can't do this, Jesslyn I still love Link, how can I _marry_ someone else? Someone as disgusting as him?" She started to cry again, not really from grief, but fear. "How can I let him kiss me and touch me and..." The wedding night was something she'd been dreading. As princess she'd always been taught her virginity was something to treasure, and she'd foolishly saved it for Link. Now Link was gone, and she was to be married that very day to a man she despised; she was expecting a brutal and painful display of his power over her, not anything it could have or should have been.

"Don't, don't cry, it'll be all right," Jesslyn fretted. Of course she knew, as Impa and Sheik had before her, that it would not be all right... "Link wouldn't want you to cry..."

"He wouldn't want me to get married, either!" Zelda snapped, and instantly regretted it. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, it's not your fault. Could I have just a few more minutes, please? I'm going to have a bath."

"Of course." Jesslyn started for the bathroom. "I'll—"

"I'll draw it myself," Zelda said thickly, sniffling, "but thank you. I just need a few moments alone."

Jessyln left, and Zelda wandered to the bathroom, but she didn't draw the bath. She was thinking of Link, of her dream.

_I'll always be here if you need me. I'll never leave you alone._

"Yeah, sure..." Zelda wandered back out to the bedroom, picking up the rose, vase and all. She looked to the bed, from a wedding dress she did not want out to the window to a freedom she could not have. She walked out on the balcony, breathing in the fresh cool air of an autumn morning and letting the wind dry the tears where they were on her face. She sat down on the balcony still in her nightdress, vase and rose held on her lap, and looked out through the bars of the guardrail. There, that seemed more appropriate.

"I can't marry him," she whispered. "But I'm twenty-one now and it's the law...I have to be married to produce _heirs_..." The word left her with a shiver of disgust. "You promised not to leave me, so why? Why would you..." She trailed off. Of all the things about this, that bothered her the most. She didn't understand why he would...

_All you gotta do is call for me._

"Part of you will live in me forever, I guess," Zelda murmured, cradling the vase. She tore one of the petals of the rose in half, hating how perfect the rose looked. "But I still need you...oh, what the hell. Guess it can't hurt to try." She stood up, hair matted and tangled, nightdress hanging off her thin form, to call into the wind, "_Liiink!_"

And only silence answered back.

There was a pause, and then Zelda said bitterly, "Well what was I expecting, a miracle?" Aggravated and frightened, she threw the vase and rose over the balcony, storming furiously inside her room again to take her bath and get ready.

Four hours later, she had finished bathing, done her hair and makeup, and put on the complicated wedding dress she'd been given. She looked longingly out the window one last time as she was led away, curtains blowing in the breeze, and steeled herself to endure this, however terrible it was, because she had no choice. Freedom wasn't an option to her now.

The door closed sharply behind her, the room silent as a tomb now. Hair ties and make-up lay strewn across the bed and nightstand, and sunlight poured in the open window.

Cold wind blew in.

Not through the window; the wind outside had stopped. This wind was different...everything rustled gently, at first, then moved a little more as the wind grew stronger. The curtains flapped wildly and tangled on the legs of the table and chairs. The makeup flew off of Zelda's bed and crashed against the wall, leaving splotches of color where they hit and falling to the ground after. Then all went still and silent, and everything ceased to move. The curtains settled into place, and the room was silent once again.

Sitting on the table was a vase, and in it was the lavender rose.

Quiet as the morning breeze, whispered words came from nowhere.

_That's a promise._


	3. Chapter Two, Rewritten

**Notes:** Here's the second chapter! Sorry it's so short.

_The song for this chapter is verdantkitten's "Zelda"._

Chapter Two: Luck

_"Zelda, I'm sorry," Impa said gently. "He...was found dead, this morning. In his room. It looks like he was stabbed with his own sword, but there were no signs of a struggle."_

_"But what does that mean?" Zelda asked, tears streaming down her face. "How can he be _dead_?!"_

_"Suicide?" Impa suggested softly. "There was no note, so we don't know for sure. But that's what it looks like, honey. I really don't know." _

_"That's a lie!" Zelda choked, her whole face contorted. She sobbed into her hands. "He promised he'd never leave me! He promised! He promised! He promised...!" _

_Eventually she ran out of air, ran out of words, ran out of strength. She passed out into the blackness, and she let it take her willingly. She couldn't take anymore. _

_"Link is all I am," she had said, so many times. "My heart, my soul, my being." _

_And they had all gone away the moment he died. _

* * *

_I wish I could hate you for leaving me here, Link._

The wedding was held outside. It didn't feel like outside to Zelda; she still felt trapped within the high walls that had been built around the castle, and her heart was pounding in her chest so hard it ached. She felt like a cage animal, and wanted to rail against the injustice, but knew, in the end, the result would be the same; if she spoke now it would only make things worse for her in the end. Zelda walked down the red carpet slowly, dread written all over her features, on every movement she made. Her suitor, the Prince Calhoun of Romilda, waited at the end of the death march, in his best clothes. He was handsome, but Zelda couldn't notice. She was too worried, too frightened of him and everything that was happening.

_But I can't hate you. I wish I knew why you left me...but there's no hate. I still love you, Link. I still need you._

She reached Calhoun and stopped, revulsion threatening to choke her when he touched her arm lightly. She was going to have to get used to it, she realized dismally, as the priest started reading. Zelda wasn't really listening to him and tried to think of Link to keep herself calm...

_I still miss you._

"...and if anyone has any objections, speak now, or forever hold your peace," said the feeble old priest.

Zelda wished Jesslyn was there; she would have objected. But Jesslyn had not been allowed to come—she was watching from a balcony far, far away.

_Please, someone,_ Zelda prayed. _Please, please object._ Would it matter if they did? Could anyone stop this now?

There was silence, and all hope left Zelda. No, nothing would stop this. She was doomed to her fate.

But just as the priest was about to start reading again, something happened.

The wind started up, just like it had in the bedroom. Calhoun grabbed Zelda's arm and she jerked away on reflex, then looked down, kicking herself mentally. The wind scattered papers, tore jewelry from the necks and arms of women, sent objects flying everywhere. It was though all the sudden a mini-tornado had sprung up right in the middle of the courtyard. Zelda's dress was blowing lightly around her ankles, but her veil came off completely, much to her relief. The wind grew fiercer and stronger with each passing second; people had soon thrown themselves to the ground in desperation. One of the walls around the area where the wedding was taking place crumbled as if struck by a giant's hammer. The bricks flew in every direction, hitting people on the head, shoulders, and back. Several women screamed. Several men did too. Zelda didn't, nor did she throw herself to the ground; her dress was white and she'd been taught too well not to do dirty or messy things when she was wearing a nice dress. She squeezed her eyes shut and hugged herself, curling in case anything came towards her. She felt Calhoun's presence leave her side, heard him curse; he'd been blown right away. And even in the midst of all that, she felt no need to duck; she wasn't afraid, even though she ought to have been.

When it was all over, when Zelda finally dared to look up because of the sudden quiet, she gasped, gloved hands coming up to cover her mouth. The courtyard was a wreck! Objects had cut and bruised everyone there, and no one had been spared from the damage. Everyone was lying on the ground or hiding under something.

Everyone but her.

* * *

"Well, we can't very well have the wedding _now_," said an irritable Calhoun an hour later, pacing back and forth despite the large gash he had received across his forehead. He glared at Zelda. "And you aren't the least bit sorry, are you? I noticed you jerking away from me."

Zelda remained silent.

Calhoun grew angry and slapped her across the face. "Don't you ignore me! You'll speak when spoken to!"

"No, I'm not sorry," Zelda said angrily, but without surprise. It wasn't the first time he'd slapped her, and it probably wouldn't be the last.

Calhoun sighed and rubbed his temples. "So am I. I shouldn't have lost my temper. Get up to your room; the men have plans to discuss. You, there," he waved a hand at Jesslyn, who was standing nearby. "Take her up, get her cleaned up and everything."

"Yes, Your Highness," Jesslyn said, curtsying. "This way, please, Princess."

Zelda grimaced, but followed without complaint; she wasn't unhappy about being taken from Calhoun, but she did wish Jesslyn was allowed to be informal when it was more than just the two of them.

"Wasn't it lucky, that the wind tore it all up?" Jesslyn gushed, when they got into Zelda's bedroom. "I was watching from the other balcony on that side, looked like a tornado had hit the place! This way it'll be postponed until all these injuries get fixed..."

Zelda didn't say much as Jesslyn helped her take off the complicated wedding dress; honestly, she was just happy to hear her friend speak. She'd been given a reprieve, it seemed...her thoughts wandered, and she thought of how funny it was that she alone had escaped the danger when she was the only one in the courtyard not happy about things. Quite unhappy, indeed...she regretted very much breaking the vase now; the flower had comforted her, while it was there. She glanced longingly at the table—and gasped. "Wh..."

"What is it?" Jesslyn asked curiously.

"My vase!" Zelda was shocked. "Look, it's—it's right there. The rose is in it and everything!"

"It's...pretty?"

"Jesslyn, I threw it over the balcony this morning."

"I don't think you did," Jesslyn said carefully, "otherwise the pieces would have been in the courtyard, right? And it couldn't be sitting there on the table..."

"M-maybe someone replaced it." Zelda moved to the table in awe, stroking the soft petals of the rose with her fingertips. She frowned; here was the ripped petal from earlier. "...I think this is the same rose. Its torn just here, see?"

"But that's impossible, it would have wilted lying out in the sun all day with no water!"

"I'm not crazy," Zelda said, exasperated, turning away from it. "I don't know. This is strange." She paused, then said, "I think I'm going to have a nap; I'm tired." She needed time to think.

"Of course." Jesslyn smiled at Zelda, a little. "Sweet dreams." She left soon afterward, after turning down the bed.

"Goodnight," Zelda said, smiling. She sighed, looking at the rose in her hand. "Oh, Link, I _miss_ you," she said softly, after she heard the door shut. "It was a miracle I didn't have to marry Calhoun today...but there will be other days, and I must wonder if luck will hold me out forever..."

* * *

Calhoun cursed as he touched the bandaged wound on his forehead, hoping it wouldn't leave a scar. It hurt like hell, but he was madder that the wedding had been put on hold. He wanted to marry Zelda, to get it over with, so he could be the king of both his lands and Hyrule. He fumbled for one of the candles in his room, struck a match, and lit it. The flame illuminated the walls, a brighter light than one would expect, and Calhoun rubbed his tired eyes when it blinded him. He went into his bathroom and changed, and crawled into bed not long after. He blew the candle out, and then stared at his ceiling

It took a minute to understand what he saw. At first he thought it was his eyes playing tricks on him. Then he thought maybe he was dreaming. But it was neither dreams or his eyes; it was really there.

Written on the ceiling in a strange, glowing light, were three words that sent terror to the bottom of his soul.

_YOU WILL PAY_

Calhoun stared, horrified, for a very long time. Then he fumbled for his match again and struck it. The words vanished.

He lit the all the candles and kept them lit all night, so that they wouldn't come back.


	4. Chapter Three: Caught

**Author's Notes:** 'Lo! I'm back, with another chapter of Promises Are Eternal. I am absolutely STUNNED at the amount of reveiws I'm receiving--I love you guys so much, thank you! I won't keep you waiting, here's the chapter.

Nn, and forgive me about what happens to Jesslyn...

Chapter Three: Caught

_"Zelda, I'm sorry," Impa said gently. "He was found dead this morning. In his room. It looks like he was stabbed with his own sword, but there were no signs of a struggle."   
_

_"But what does that mean?" Zelda asked, tears streaming down her face. _

_ "Suicide," Impa said softly. "There was no note, so we don't know for sure. But that's what it looks like, honey." _

_ "That's a lie!" Zelda choked, her whole face contorted. She sobbed into her hands. "He promised he'd never leave me! He promised! He promised! He promised...!" _

_ Eventually she ran out of air, ran out of words, ran out of strength. She passed out into the blackness, and she let it take her willingly. She couldn't take anymore. _

_ "Link is all I am," she had said, so many times. "My heart, my soul, my being." _

_ And they had all gone away the moment he died. _

Zelda woke up crying, remembering that day as if it was yesterday. Why did he leave her? What was it that was so bad that Link, the strongest person she knew, wanted to kill himself...?

He'd had no _reason_.

He was happy—so was she. They had been happy. Together. She had been expecting Link to ask for her hand in marriage soon; he had hinted he might.

And then he died. To top it all off, that was the very day Calhoun came into her life. Then she turned twenty-one, and Impa, though she fought and fought against the marriage, was overruled and exiled to Gerudo Valley...

All because Link killed himself.

And he had no _reason_...!

She had to see him again. But since she couldn't, she'd do the next best thing.

x-x-x

Zelda sighed in relief. Her father had given her permission to shop in the Market, though he wouldn't let her out without a guard. Zelda, insisting she wanted to buy items of a feminine nature, finally talked him down to bringing Jesslyn.

"I can't believe he only gave me half an hour," Zelda muttered bitterly. "Doesn't trust me as far as he can throw me..."

"At least we got out," Jesslyn said brightly. She pushed her bandana, once white but now drab gray from stains, higher on her forehead. She paused.

"Yes?" Zelda asked.

"Miss...we could run. I'd follow you anywhere, you know I would."

And that was why her father didn't trust her—he assumed that the minute she got out of the castle, she would run.

She'd debated for a long time with herself if she should run away, or, since the wedding had been postponed, wait, and gain her father's trust, then run when he gave her more than an hour. As much as she wanted away that instant, the wiser course of action was to wait.

Zelda smiled.

"I'm touched, Jesslyn. I have decided to run. But I'll run at the last possible moment...to give the most time."

Jesslyn understood immediately.

"Begging your pardon, miss, but how long before the wedding are you thinking he'll let you go? Pick too close and he might say no as a precaution..."

"Hmm, haven't thought about that. When's it rescheduled for?"

"Three weeks, miss, long enough for everyone to recover."

Zelda stood at the drawbridge to the Market.

"Let's get out of here."

"Eh?"

"I'm going to Kakariko to see Link's gravestone—that's why I wanted out."

"Too bad we couldn't ask for horses."

"I know, he'd get suspicious."

So they walked. And when they got there, Jesslyn tactfully decided she wanted to check on her mother's old house while she was there. She kept it clean and dust-free, in hopes Impa would someday return.

Zelda walked to the graveyard quickly, despite the fact that she was cloaked and no one would recognize her. No on ever saw the princess's face; without her fancy clothing she was just a commoner to them. She had taken her hair down from all restraints, brushed it out several times to get some of the waves out of it and make it look a little thinner, and wore no jewelry. She even had a hood attached to the cloak, just in case.

She reached the graveyard and stood by Link's stone. So many thoughts and feelings and questions ran through her. Why? How? What had he thought about? What about his promises, his kisses, his laughter? What about the love they shared?

"Why did you leave me? I love you. And you promised..."

She collapsed next to it, crying. "I'll be leaving soon. I'll never get to come to this place again. And then it really will be goodbye, won't it? Not even being able to come and visit."

"Leaving?"

Zelda stood up, whirling around. Then she gasped. "Calhoun...!"

x-x-x

Calhoun and his men, ordered by the king himself, were following Zelda.

"I am concerned," Calhoun told the king. "I simply want to make sure no bandits harm her. As for private matters in er purchases—why, I'm to wed her...who knows her better than I?"

And so they had followed. Calhoun waited until she finally departed for Kakariko, then gave her a ten minute head start so as not to be seen.

When he arrived at Kakariko to apprehend her, she was nowhere to be seen.

He searched the village, asking everyone if they'd seen the pair of women. Everyone said no, because everyone was very much on Zelda's side.

"Haven't seen hide nor hair of 'em," one woman told him airily, pulling her son towards her and away from an anthill. "No, I've not set eyes on them, sorry."

"I have," said the little boy.

"Hush, you don't know what you're talking about!" his mother snapped angrily, but she was hushed by Calhoun's dark glare.

"Yes I do," the boy said brightly. "I know Jesslyn, she's my friend. She went in there," he said, pointing at Impa's house.

Calhoun dropped a purple rupee in his hand.

"You did not see them, then?" he sneered at the woman.

"No," she maintained firmly. "I must've missed them..._sir_," she said sarcastically. After Calhoun walked away, she took the rupee from her son's hand and gave it to a homeless man on the corner, who thanked her profusely before wiping his eyes and setting off for the Temple of Time to give thanks.

"He needs it more than you, and it's no better than blood money," she told her scowling son. "Next time, let me talk to them baboons."

Calhoun, meanwhile, stalked up to Impa's house and pounded on the door. Jesslyn, from inside, gasped and peeked through the curtains.

"Oh, it's him! The world's a-comin' to an end!" she moaned in a whisper. (1) If she was caught here she'd be lucky to be killed and she wouldn't be the first to die trying to help Zelda.

"Open up and I will spare your life, girl!" Calhoun snarled through the door. "How would Zelda feel if you were to die on her behalf?"

He was right. Jesslyn, shaking, opened the door. She was a person who could be easily pushed around; this was why she had not yet fought hard enough for Zelda to be exiled like her family or executed like several of Zelda's other servants.

"Well?" Calhoun asked, raising an eyebrow. "Let me see her."

"Sh-she's not here, sir, begging your pardon," Jesslyn stammered, eyes wide.

"Lies!" Calhoun said, grabbing her arm and entering the house. "Tell me, girl, who lives here?"

"M-my mother did, sir, before she was exiled. Please, search the house if you wish, but don't harm her things."

"Your mother is Impa?" Even with Calhoun, the name of a Sage demanded a grudging respect. Jesslyn nodded, terrified. "Very well, I'll search the house." And he did, searched every bit of it and posted his men at every exit. But Zelda was not there.

"Where is she, then?" he thundered, pounding his hand on the table. He rounded on Jesslyn. "You know, don't you? This was a stalling act, wasn't it?"

"N-no sir!" Jesslyn lied quickly. He advanced on her.

"See this?" He held up a necklace he'd gotten from Impa's room. It was a locket, with a pictograph of Jesslyn and Sheik in one side, and Impa and Rai, Impa's long-dead husband in the other. "Tell me who these people are."

"M-me and my older brother Sheik," Jesslyn said, confused. "An' on the other side is my mother and my father."

"He's Hylian," Calhoun noted with disgust. "You are a hafling."

"Begging your pardon, sir, it's him who was a hafling—he was half Hylian and half Shekiah. Please don't look down on me for it, sir, it's not my fault, 'onest..."

"How sweet. You love your family?"

"Y-yes sir." Jesslyn didn't see where this was going at all. "That's our only photos of them."

"How would you like me to toss this into the river? Destroy this house?"

"No sir!" Jesslyn cried. "Please!"

"Than tell me where Zelda is," Calhoun said, smiling. He'd get his way, as always. Jesslyn closed her eyes. Her mother would not want this house that she and Rai built with their own hands to perish...

"She's visitin' Link's grave, sir..."

Calhoun grinned. "Men, take her back to the castle and tell the king of her crimes. Oh don't worry," he added, waving a hand at the terrified Jesslyn. "I am a man of my word. You will not be killed."

He left her weeping at the doorstop and marched to the graveyard with four of his men following him.

"We'll teach her yet," he murmured to them, watching Zelda collapse by the gravestone.

"...I'll be leaving soon. I'll never get to come to this place again. And then it really will be goodbye, won't it? Not even being able to come and visit."

Calhoun glared. Leaving, was she? Planning to run away? No—he would not have that.

"Leaving?" he repeated, stepping into view.

Zelda turned and gasped.

"Calhoun!"

"Yes, Calhoun," he said, stepping toward her. "Look at you, dressed like that common filth." He jerked his head towards Link's gravestone.

Zelda flushed with anger.

"He saved this land! He was brave, which is more than I can say for you!"

"Zelda, it's over. We have apprehended your little servant girl—"

Zelda gasped in horror.

"—and she's being taken back to the castle. If you want any say in her fate, you should come with me."

Before her, Zelda saw all the people fighting for her, being dragged away one by one. But Jesslyn—Jesslyn was like her sister and she loved her dearly. She could not bear to lose Jesslyn too.

"Why must you resist our bonding?" Calhoun murmured to her, walking forward and placing himself inches away from her. She backed away but he pulled her into a kiss regardless; when it was over she spat on the ground and wiped her mouth.

"You—are—disgusting."

Calhoun chuckled. "And you are about to have a death of another on your conscience unless you come back to the castle with me. I told her she would not be killed—but I could easily change my mind. Unless you give me something I desperately desire from you, Zelda..."

He moved in for a kiss again.

_Link!_ Zelda cried in her mind. Oh if only he had not died...

Something threw him back. Zelda stood there, stunned, relieved he had not been able to kiss her again.

Calhoun got to his feet and cursed, glaring at Zelda.

"How dare you strike m—?"

But this time, while he was at least five feet away from any human being, he felt something hit him again, in the stomach, and he landed flat on his back, hitting his head on a gravestone. He lay unconscious.

His men and Zelda were all wide-eyed. They advanced on Calhoun, but the first guard to reach him got a nasty cut on his forearm and was yanked back by his hair and also knocked unconscious. The men, thinking Zelda was using magic, advanced on her, but this time the reaction was worse; they were all thrown back in a single sweep, all landing on top of or beside the other man and Calhoun.

"It's bloody magic!" one of them said, spooked.

"It's not!" Zelda cried. "I swear—I would never learn black magic—I can't, because of all the white mages in my blood..." This was true. She only knew the ways of light magic. Impa had tried to teach her offensive spells, dark magic, but no avail.

She had never been able to master them. What was going on here? It was almost as if a person were fighting them, but she could see no one...

"Come with us peaceably," one of the guards said. "Jesslyn will be needing your help."

Zelda had never despised Calhoun's soldiers as much as she had despised him because they had respect and even a little pity for her, and weren't quite as heartless as he. So she listened.

"Very well," she said, royal authority returning to her voice. "Take them to the horses," she said, nodding at Calhoun and the injured man. "I'll be along shortly."

They dragged Calhoun first, much to Zelda's delight. It took all three of them. While she waited for them to come back, she gazed at Link's headstone.

It took awhile for her to register what she saw, but when she did, she nearly fainted.

"Oh my Goddesses..."

Laying by the headstone was something that certainly not been there before—something Zelda certainly would have noticed.

With a shaking hand, Zelda picked it up and held it before her face to make sure it was real.

It was a lavender rose.

**AN:** Well, wasn't that interesting:grins: Meh, I'm sorry for the cliffies, that's how I write. Good news is I'm like already halfway done with chapter four.

Hmm, can anyone guess what's going on here? XP

Lemme explain something. I can't remember which author on here I saw do this, but when I put a (1) in the text of the story, just check down here to see my author note I was dying to insert but knew better than to do. (That's annoying, to see author's notes in the context of the story...)

(1) Can anyone guess where this line is from, or, for that matter, what character from the book-that-was-made-into-the-movie said it? Jesslyn's personality was based off of her, and so was her accent...answer right and you get a cookie.

Now, reveiw responses. Like I said before, I'm shocked at how many reveiws I'm getting. I love you guys.

**Ixter:** You're damn right they are. LZ forever, yo. :shift eyes: I'm very glad you like this story.  
**SacredBlade: **Well, that wasn't quite as long as it could have been...my poor Majora's Mask fic has been waiting for months...  
**LittleDragonOfTruth: **You know what, I usually do the same thing--won't read a story unless it's complete because I die waiting on updates. But there you go. I guess I should do it more often--writers enjoy it when people read works-in-progress.  
**Skullkid:** Ahahaha, the funny thing is I just pulled that one out of thin air, there...didn't plan it. Hmm, but someone is mad...  
**J-boy:** Hehe, but how willing would you be to believe a GHOST had returned from the dead to protect his life's love? Especially if you were Calhoun? (You'll see what Imean later, because I don't want to spoil it, but he has more to do with this whole thing than just walking into Zel's life and making her miserable.)  
**harrypotterfan:** Thankies muchly.  
**Fire'sMistress: **Yeah, Calhoun lives in my head, lol. Crazy mind I have. Oh, but hey, if you have any theories or guesses, I'd love to hear them. I have a plotline written out already but you could influence wat I write--and you probably won't spoil it cause people usually don't bother at looking at other people's reveiws for some wacky reason.  
**Rah Gumba Foo:** Thankies!  
LinZ Umbra: Ahh, thank you! I'm trying my best to be a well-rounded writer; suspense, mystery, romance, drama, and angst (all that good stuff) are my strong points. I guess that's why I'm writing this...mm, but I still need to work on my fighting scene skills! Anyways, I'm glad you like this, thank you very much for your reveiw!  
**Encumbrance:** Thank you! I try to update as often as I can.  
**blondie91:** Thanks for waiting. I try to update as much as possible.  
**Lauren: **Thank you: ) Dun worry, it'll get happier! (But don't tell anyone I told you that.)  
**Half-Angel:** Yay kitty! Thank you!  
**Frozen Fire:** Thanks so much...I'm glad you like it.

Now I've one last favor to ask of you all. If you are of the persuasion, please send a prayer for my brother George. A very good friend of his, Marshall, was hit by a car today, and has head injuries...and we're all hoping he'll pull out. So if you can, send up a prayer for George and Marshall. Thanks.

-Liz


	5. Chapter Four: Seven Lavender Roses

**Author's Notes:** Lo all. I'm back with the latest chapter of Promises Are Eternal. I know it took me awhile. I didn't want to update till I was halfway done with chapter five. XD But, yeah, here it is.

Chapter Four: Seven Roses

"_Seven," said Link, "rules my life. Slept for seven years, rescued seven sages—" He grinned, making a bow, "—though the seventh, in my opinion, was the nicest..."_

_Zelda smiled. "Trying to butter me up?"_

"_Yup."_

"_So what's the point? Seven. It's a number."_

"_Well, it's why I brought these!" From behind his back, he produced a bouquet of seven lavender roses. "Seven, one for each year I should've been with you, princess." _

"_Aww, Link..."_

"_But hey—now that I'm here, I'll never leave you again."_

"_Promise?"_

"_Promise."_

It started to rain on the way back to the palace. The clouds were heavy and angry and the rain poured down in buckets. The men had no umbrella or other shelter to offer Zelda, but she cared little. The rain, icy and cold, soaked her through her skin and numbed out her thoughts.

And such terrified thoughts they were.

What had happened? Why? Why, all of the sudden, were there lavender roses everywhere she looked? Why did it seem like there was some type of guardian angel watching her, not letting her get close to Calhoun? Were they coincidences, or—?

No. What a stupid thought.

The guards were leading two horses along that carried Calhoun and the wounded soldier. Zelda was personally hoping Calhoun would drown, but they had taken care to turn him facedown. Their footsteps made heavy footprints in the mud; three guards and Zelda's, and then the horses. Zelda had always been fascinated with drawing things in the mud, and when the rain got so heavy they had to take shelter under a booth in the Market, Zelda sat down next to a patch of dirt and wrote Link's name in it, wishing she could go back and look at the footprints.

_I miss you, Link..._

The guards stood impatiently, waiting for the heavy rain to die down. The puddles were at least three inches deep already, in some places, four. Zelda grinned, picked up a rock, and threw it in a puddle. The guards jumped and swore, getting dirty.

"Damn horses," one of them cursed, not knowing it was Zelda at fault. She grinned and threw another rock.

The guards cursed again and moved over slightly. Zelda sighed, thinking she'd wait a minute before throwing another.

Something odd happened. The puddles splashed again. She saw a rock fly, but she was not the one who threw it. She looked around wildly.

"Who's there?" she whispered, so the other men would not hear.

No one answered. The puddle splashed continually for the rest of the time they were there. When the rain finally cleared up, Zelda looked back at the mud where she had written Link's name. His name was still there, but something else was written there, too, two simple words that made Zelda look over her shoulder all the way home, wondering how they got there and if they were an answer to her question.

_Your Guardian._

x-x-x

When Zelda got to the castle, she was soaking wet and wanted nothing more than to sink into a warm bath and stay there for hours. But she didn't. Now she was in the castle and the guards didn't have to watch her so closely, so she ran straight through the throne room to the dungeons, where she knew Jesslyn would be.

"Let me by," she snarled at the protesting soldier.

"What is a peasant whore such as yourself doing in _here_?"

Zelda let out a small growl. "I'm the princess, jackass." She held up her hand, which bore the mark of the Triforce. "Now let me by."

And he muttered an apology and let her by. A moment after she left, navigating the halls on her own, he was dealt with; his body hit the ground almost as if he had been hit in the face. Cursing, he got up to look around, rubbing his jaw, but no one was there.

"I swear this castle is haunted or something..."

"Jesslyn!" Zelda murmured, spotting Jesslyn's cell at the end of a long hall and running up to her. She grabbed the bars.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, miss," Jesslyn moaned. "I shouldn't've opened the door for him..."

"No, don't worry about it, I won't let them harm you."

"No, miss...they've already told me Calhoun was planning to have me executed from the minute he saw I was with you...regardless of what the bastard said." Jesslyn started to cry. "An' now I've ruined your chance for escape!"

"Don't," Zelda said. "You fought so much for me. I'll fight for you. You'll be fine."

"Zelda!"

Her father. Zelda groaned. She was in trouble and she knew it. She took Jesslyn's hand briefly through the bars and walked away to where he was standing at the top of the stairs. Her last sight of Jesslyn was of the girl grasping the bars, face tearstained and full of anguish.

_I will save her, I will fight for her,_ Zelda thought over and over as she walked up the metal stairs, not caring to touch the stair rail for the grime._ I won't let her die for me, have her life ruined for me. I will make sure she lives, and lives well._

She entered the throne room.

"Your Majesty," she said, bowing. She hadn't addressed him as anything else since he had decided to force Calhoun upon her.

Harkinian flinched; he hated Zelda calling him that.

"We must talk. Come."

They walked to the throne room, where Calhoun was waiting, revived. He glared at her as she entered, then, without warning, slapped her hard across the face. The king didn't protest and Zelda didn't so much as flinch.

"What will you do with her?" Zelda asked coolly.

"Behead her," replied Harkinian carelessly. "She was committing treason."

"No!" Zelda cried, losing composure. "Your Majesty, don't—she was doing what she was told. I beg you, reconsider."

"It is fitting punishment to you."

"But her! She is a living breathing person! She did _nothing_, nothing to warrant such treatment!" Zelda thought fast. "Execute her and I swear I will kill myself."

The silence in the room was very tense. No one doubted she would. She had been considering it to get out of marrying Calhoun, but then again Link had wanted her to live, so for him, she tried to endure everything.

"I will have you under guard day and night."

"I could still do it. You know I could. It only takes a second to die."

Silence. She was right, Harkinian thought. One swipe of a knife, one gulp of poison, one leap off a balcony, and it would be over. He loved his daughter, despite his actions. He could not let it happen.

"She shall be exiled, then. She can go stay with her family."

Calhoun started to protest, but the king cut him off.

"Silence. That is my word, Calhoun. Your men will accompany her to the border."

x-x-x

But it was Calhoun himself who decided to walk with Jesslyn. The rain from the day before had passed, and the sun shone so brightly that the mud had dried hard.

Jesslyn had been terrified. Calhoun was planning to murder her and she knew it. She stayed as far away from him as possible for as long as she could, looking at the ground, but he had her hands roped together and tied to his horse, which he was riding upon so as to be able to look down on her.

She saw the footprints from the day before. Two sets of hoofprints for the horses, three sets of steel shoes for the soldiers, and one set of smaller prints for Zelda. Then, beside Zelda's footprints, there was a set of boot prints, and the boots were worn, she could tell that. The ridges that were on Hylian boots were there, but had faded off near the toes.

Funny, none of Calhoun's men wore boots like that...

She noticed as she walked that the footprints grew lighter with every step, because the rain had been worse and the mud had gotten deeper, and, since they were going backwards, she viewed the end of their journey first. She stared at the footprints, mesmerized, because she was too frightened to look at Calhoun.

The boot prints stopped.

Or appeared, rather.

They walked next to Zelda for a long time, then, just before Jesslyn and Calhoun passed the bridge where the footprints went off towards Kakariko, the prints just appeared out of nowhere. As if someone had fallen from the sky and started walking next to Zelda. It was so odd. Obviously it wasn't one of Calhoun's men, or Calhoun himself, that had, perhaps, gotten off a horse...only Hylians wore those type of boots...

But she didn't have time to wonder who else had been with them—soon enough they passed the footprints and Calhoun started taunting her.

"You do know I'll have her, girl. And after you're gone I might destroy the house anyway."

Jesslyn remained silent.

He continued to taunt her all the way to Gerudo Valley, telling her how ashamed her family and Zelda were, telling her all the horrible things he would do to them and the things she cared about. Then he dismounted.

"Come," he snarled, taking her rope and pulling it like a leash. Tears stung at her eyes but she couldn't cry. She followed. They walked along the dry ground that turned into dryer sand and finally reached the rickety wooden bridge that connected Hyrule Field to Gerudo Valley. It swung dangerously in the wind, hundreds of feet over the river. Jesslyn gulped. She hated heights so...

Calhoun grabbed her arm.

"Time to say goodbye," he laughed. "You were too much trouble. And a servant's life should not be spared."

"No!" Jesslyn cried, terrified, speaking for the first time. Calhoun wrenched her closer to him.

"She will die," he snarled in her face. "After I marry her and I have my way with her...she'll die. Hyrule will be mine. She'll be gone and the setup will be perfect, just like it was with my last victim." An insane grin lit his face. And he whispered something in her ear that made her go pale, then he drew away again. "Just like it will be with you."

He pushed her off the bridge.

She tried to regain her footing, grab onto something, but she slipped; she'd always been a bit clumsy even when she did have proper use of her arms. Jesslyn screamed as she fell, not believing it was happening. She was going to die...!

She turned over in the air twice, and hit the water headfirst.

Her body hit the water with a loud smack. It stung all over. She gasped, trying to catch her breath, and only took in more water. Which way was up again? She tried to steady herself to see, but the current was strong, and the water made her clothes so heavy, and the rope was so tight, and it burned her wrists, and it all dragged her body down, down, down...

Calhoun watched her slip under with a satisfied smile. He stayed several minutes before leaving. She did not come back up.

x-x-x

Sheik was fishing in the river when he saw it. A big lump, floating down the river towards Lake Hylia.

"What the heck is that thing?"

He decided to catch it; he cast twice and missed. It floated further downriver. He wanted to swim and get it, but the undercurrent of the river was very strong here and he'd drown if he even tried.

And he was under exile, so he had to catch it before it got too far downstream.

He drew back his pole and cast out a million times or more and nothing happened; he cursed. Finally he cast one more time when it was almost out of reach; the hook caught and he pulled.

"Geez, that's heavy," he muttered, watching it draw closer. He squinted. He had no idea what it was. _Trash, maybe?_ he mused._ That's illegal. Couldn't be a fish; it's too big. Maybe it's a turtle. Nah, I'd've seen the shell. Jeez, what...?_

_Oh no. Oh, no..._

_It looks like a person..._

He pulled harder. The person floated closer to the river's edge, sopping wet. He turned them over, and for a moment, stared horrified into the silent face of his one and only sister.

"_Jesslyn!_"

x-x-x

"...and I will make sure they are most seriously punished," Calhoun said, bowing to the king. "The girl, I'm afraid, is dead, we searched the river for her and didn't see her wash up. My men should not have let her get away—and she should have been more careful. Slipping off the bridge trying to get away, I don't understand..."

"This news must not reach Zelda," Harkinian said sternly. "If she finds out..."

Calhoun bowed.

"Of course, sire."

But Zelda, hiding by the stairs, had heard every word. Silent tears falling down her face, she ran up to her room.

She fell on her bed, sobbing. Jesslyn, her dear sweet Jesslyn, her best friend, her only friend, her only support since Link and Impa and Sheik had all left her...

"Oh, Jesslyn! I'm so sorry! He killed you, I know he did." She looked out the balcony window. She was sick of this. She would not bow to them ay longer. She would go through with her threat.

Her vase, now with two lavender roses in it, glinted in the sunset and Zelda winced; the reflection had gotten in her eyes. She'd wait...until the sun had gone down.

She watched the sunset sadly, remembering how she and Link used to watch them together.

"Link, I miss you..."

The vase on the table shuddered, though she didn't notice.

"I feel so alone, sometimes. And all these people...dying for me. Poor Impa will be so distraught."

The vase shuddered again, then stilled. A book fell off the bookcase. Still, Zelda didn't move.

"But...I guess soon...it'll be over anyways..."

Another book fell and shuddered violently.

"I don't even know what the point of living this long was...I know that you wanted me to live and be happy but I could never be happy like this...and I'm sorry."

The books on the bookcase all threw themselves to the floor, as if restless, urgent. The wind tugged on her curtains sharply, and on her dress, as if it was trying to pull her back indoors.

As if someone was trying to get her attention and stop her.

The sun set.

Zelda did not go back in her room; the books and the vase and the wind hadn't caught her attention because she was so lost in her thoughts. She instead climbed up onto the balcony rail.

"Goodbye," she said, but she did not know to who, for she had no one left.

She jumped.

The fall took forever; Zelda yelled with fright as she went down. She passed out before she hit the ground.

x-x-x

"_You know, Zelda, you should really stop laughing so much. I think it's bad for you," Link told her._

_Zelda cracked up, coughing at the same time. She sat up in bed, trying to breathe._

"_No," she insisted. "This helps. Gosh, I hate being sick..."_

"_Why? No one here but you me and the bed..." Link started to kiss her, jesting._

"_Knock it off," Zelda said, with a laugh that turned into a cough._

Zelda groaned. What...what had happened? Ohh, right. Jumping off the balcony. She sat up and looked down at herself. Hmph. What a waste. She was perfectly unharmed. Her body wasn't even sore. It was as if she'd never landed! But eleven floors...surely a fall like that would have done the trick...

Angry with herself, Zelda got to her feet. Judging by the moon and stars, it was about midnight; time to get back into the castle.

She bent down to smooth her dress and saw it laying on the ground. The third lavender rose, and beside it, a note, in such shaky writing she could barely read it.

_Turn around._

Terrified, Zelda did.

Zelda's jaw dropped. The note fell out of her hand and was whisked away into the night wind.

In the same blue words that had appeared in Calhoun's room, there was a message on the castle wall—a message that Zelda had a funny feeling only she could see.

"_She lives. Don't give up yet."_

She inhaled sharply as more words appeared below the first.

"_You are not alone."_

**AN: **Calhoun is a bastard anyways. : )

Okay, responses. Good GOD I got a ton of reviews.

Thanks to everyone who prayed for Marshall and George; Marshall pulled out of it and is now back at home and joking about what happened. He's gonna be fine. I'm sure your prayers helped, so thanks! I'm very grateful.

Oh, and the line from the last chapter was from The Secret Garden movie, said by Martha. I base Jesslyn's character on her.

Responses. Just in case you didn't know, I take the person who reviewed first and put them on the top of the list. So if you're last don't take it personal ok? (Someone made a comment the other day about it and I was like, "Meep!" Didn't want anyone to get all hurt and stuff.)

**LittleDragonOfTruth:** Lol, I do feel special. I'm very flattered. And Link is getting jealous, I reckon. (shifty eyes) Or just protective. Who knows.  
**birdie101:** Yeah, I was kinda lazy. Sorry. It's not school or vacation, just life in general. I'm kooky. I have mental problems XD! Thank for praying and reviewing.  
**Fire'sMistress:** Hehe, I know I made it kinda obvious, but you're a good guesser. A lot of what you said was correct. Thank you for praying for George and Marshall.  
**SacredBlade:** Thank you! I appreciate you reading this story and praying.  
**Skullkid:** Yeah, the spirit is making itself more known, isn't it? Hehe, and you'd think someone would have figured it out. Ah, but until next time. I'm sorry about the suspense, it's just one of the things I do well. And I left this chapter at a sort of cliffie too! Bad Liz.  
**LadyLukia:** Nope. Good guess though. (shifty eyes) I just happen to adore The Secret Garden, is all.  
**Itxier:** I honestly don't know where I get my ideas...mostly from music, I guess. Thank you for reviewing.  
**blondie91:** Hehe, thanks!  
**MythCreatorWriter:** No joke. The facts are he was stabbed with his own sword...hmm, suicide? You tell me. (shifty eyes) Like you said, why the hell would he commit suicide? Lol, I'm a Link lover too. So is Zelda. Cause she's all sad and stuff.  
**ephidel285:** Hmm, the specter should be obvious soon enough. But how and why is another question. Thank you so much for reviewing.  
**dare to dream:** Thank you!  
**Christeroad:** Hehe, you'll see.  
**Trixie'sBestFriend:** I'm glad you like the story! Unfortunately, though, Zel doesn't have a lot of rights, since she's over 21 and not married. So Calhoun gets to treat her any way he wants, as long as the king doesn't get mad.  
**Encumbrance:** Thanks!  
**Frozen Fire:** Sorry, I'm working on making them longer.  
**harrypotterfan: **Thanks. Again. Lol.  
**da marshmallow:** Have I ever told you how awesome your pen name is? Heh, well anyways, yeah I meant believe in Jesus. Thank you for praying for him.  
**M.M:** Ah c'mon, I hate sad endings! It'll be happy, I promise. But—(shifty eyes) Shh, don't tell.  
**Kroung:** Thank you...I'm very flattered.  
**Stormyrose:** Thank you for keeping them in your thoughts. Aah, but I can't answer your questions cause it will ruin the story, though!  
**J-boy:** Thanks for thinking of my brother and his friend. Hmm, you're right about the whole fantasy thing, but they still don't believe in spirits, I suppose. At least for the benefit of this story they don't. I'm really glad you like my writing—I know there's lots of crap but there's lots of good stuff too—stuff way better than my stories.

Holy crap! 21 reviewers. I love you guys so much. Thank you. I'll be back sooner with chapter five, hopefully.

Ooh, and does anyone want to take a guess at what happens when seven roses get in that vase?

Bye!

-Liz


	6. Chapter Five: The Letter

**Author's Notes:** Been awhile, eh? Sorry about that. Life troubles. Ya know.

I'm actually quite surprised this story is probably about halfway through. It's quite obvious by now the climax will come with the seventh rose, and there's one rose every chapter, so...yes. This is actually probably going to be quite a short story. Sorry! But, okay, enough rambling. Here ya go.

Chapter Five: The Letter

"_Remind me why I'm here again?" Sheik complained to Zelda._

"_We have to buy Link a birthday gift. Well, I do. _You_ have to help me." Zelda smiled. "C'mon. The Market is huge. We'll find something."_

"_Why do I have to help you?"_

"_You're a guy, you know what guys like!" Zelda insisted. Sheik rolled his eyes at this logic._

"_Right then, what is Jesslyn here for? Make her go away."_

"_Shut it, you!" Jesslyn snapped at her brother._

"_To stall," Zelda said, "In case we see—"_

_Sheik smirked. "Too late."_

_There stood Link, grinning and waving._

"_Whatcha doing?" he called._

"_Nothing!" Zelda lied as he walked over to her._

"_Buying your lover a birthday gift?"_

"_Lover?" Sheik asked. His eyebrow cocked. Link grinned at him._

"_Yes, lover."_

"_Swine," Zelda said, blushing furiously. "Not lovers."_

"_Not yet, anyways," Link said, soft enough only for her to hear. His breath was warm and tickled her ear pleasantly. He started kissing her neck right there in the middle of the square._

_Sheik and Jesslyn crowed, only attracting attention. Eventually Zelda pulled away from him and yanked his ear._

"_Ow!"_

"_Serves you right," she giggled._

"_Aww, but I love you."_

_Zelda smiled._

"_I love you too."_

"I have an announcement to make," Calhoun said at dinner the next evening, jerking Zelda out of her thoughts. She bit her lips and tried not to roll her eyes. Really, who cared?

"Yes?" Harkinian asked interestedly.

"My forces, in addition to having captured Calatia, Arcadia, and Ronalia, have also taken Kylinta. That secures the entire continent, save for Hyrule, which, of course, will be the head of the empire in due time. A long time, I hope." He lifted his glass to the King. "To your good health, Sire."

They all drank.

"Zelda, don't you have anything to say?" her father asked her.

"Not really."

"Zel-_da_..."

She refused to congratulate him. "I didn't know you had armies," she said, with something like skepticism. "I didn't realize anyone would want to fight for you."

Calhoun ignored the insult and gave her a cold smile.

"My _dear_ Zelda, no one has to. I found an old spell to create a body without a soul. I multiplied the spell and was able to make thousands of them in an instant."

Zelda sat there in a quiet shock which she masked well, but Calhoun saw anyway. His smile widened.

"Yes...I spent all day creating them. I literally have millions at my feet. Why, I could recreate our past kings if I wished—in body, of course."

"Calhoun is quite an accomplished mage," the king said, raising his glass slightly.

"I am humbled, Your Majesty."

_Yeah right,_ thought Zelda.

It was terrible—armies of millions of soulless soldiers? Of course no country had been able to stand up to that. Disgusting. Couldn't he do anything with class?

Calhoun spoke again. Zelda wasn't paying attention, though. All of the sudden she had found her plate to be quite interesting—it was _moving_, shuddering as though there was an earthquake.

"After the wedding, Sire, I would think it would possible to bring all the other countries under Hyrule's power—add them in, if you will. Kylinta, for example, is very cold, but excellent for mining diamo—"

Calhoun stopped. Something had poked him in the back; a sword. _The_ sword. He turned slowly.

Nothing was there.

Zelda looked, and for the faintest instant she thought she saw—

_No. _

"M'lord?" one of his men asked.

All hell broke loose.

Zelda's plate was not the only plate shuddering; all the plates had started moving. Calhoun's plate his the ceiling and cracked; food and glass rained down upon him.

Zelda gasped in delight and started giggling.

"You!" Calhoun said, pointing an angry finger at Zelda. "You—"

"It's not her, you idiot, she can't use black magic!" the king snarled, now also covered in food. All the other plates except Zelda's shot up into the ceiling. She backed away then and hers flew up and hit Calhoun square in the face. With incredulous delight Zelda backed away a few more paces to watch the fun.

Utensils flew everywhere; food and napkins plastered the faces of everyone present except Zelda. All the men had gotten up and were shouting for orders; nobody gave any because everybody was too confused.

"It's a bloody ghost!" one man shouted. "This place is 'aunted!"

"There are no such things as ghosts!" Calhoun screamed. His pants dropped to his knees.

Zelda and everyone else roared with laughter.

"Wanna bet?" she asked with a quiet smile. She'd seen enough; she crept upstairs to her room, unscathed, and decided to change and get ready for bed.

She knew it was there before she even looked. Laying on her pillow was the fourth lavender rose. She put it in her vase before she changed and lay down to sleep.

x-x-x

But sleep did not come so easily for Zelda.

_Was_ it a ghost, doing all these strange things? She didn't even think ghosts were real. But something had to be happening. Until this point she had thought somehow it was a person, playing tricks on her. But that was ridiculous. Maybe even as ridiculous as the idea of a ghost...!

Besides, if it was a ghost, it had to be a person's ghost. And the only ghost she could think of was...

_Stop it,_ Zelda told herself sternly. _He's dead and he's not coming back. Accept it. Grow up._

She got up, turning the knob on her oil lamp. She'd write to Impa about the whole thing. She had a special way of sneaking letters back and forth between the two; she paid whichever servant that was about to leave the castle (usually this was Jesslyn) to deliver the letters to a small girl in the Market who met with Malon from Lon Lon Ranch every time she came to Hyrule Castle Town to buy and sell goods. Then Malon, the next time she sold or bought anything from the Gerudo would deliver the letters to Gerudo Valley. Impa would simply reverse the process. This was inconvenient and slow but the only way there was. They couldn't use the method often since the servants were only allowed out of the castle once every month, but it was worth it to be able to keep in contact with Impa. She missed her dreadfully...

She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and retrieved paper and ink from their hiding place under her bed; her father didn't want her sending letters so she had no choice but to hide them. Sitting down at the desk, she thought hard. How could she say all this in a letter?

_Dear Impa,_ she wrote. Dear? No. Too formal. She scratched it out vigorously.

_Hi, Impa. You probably recognized the handwriting; it's me again. Things have been messed up here lately, even more than when you left..._

That was better.

She poured her heart out in the letter, telling Impa of her troubles and what was going on; she stayed up until dawn writing. When she finished it, she recopied it onto a clean piece of paper and reread it.

_Hi, Impa. _

_You probably recognized the handwriting; it's me again. Things have been messed up here lately, even more than when you left...stuff has been happening that no one can explain. You're the expert on old magic and myths—I thought maybe you could help me. This will probably be a long letter. I have to tell you _everything.

_You probably heard the wedding was put on hold, but they're keeping the reason why hushed up. Thing is, we were all...attacked? I don't know the word to describe it. All of the sudden there was this unseen force—it knocked down the far wall and stuff started flying everywhere. Everyone was injured. Except me. I thought at first it was probably just because I was lucky or quick, but none of the stuff even flew my way._

_When I got back up to my room that evening my vase was sitting on the table with a rose in it, a lavender one like Link used to give me. Thing is, earlier that morning, I'd broken it. I had gotten depressed—Impa I loved Link, loved him so much, and having to get married to this thing is more than I can take. He told me he'd be there if I needed him, I just had to call. I know it's stupid but I did. I leaned over the balcony and shouted his name, and then got angry when he didn't come. Like a child, I suppose. So I threw the rose over the balcony and broke the vase. Then it was there when I came back from the wedding._

_Then the trouble really started. I begged the king for an hour or so to leave the castle. He granted me thirty minutes, and I went to see Link's grave. I was planning on running away, but I was going to wait until the king trusted me enough to give me perhaps two hours, to get a better head start. I was talking about it as I was sitting by the grave, and Calhoun overheard me. He'd followed me, Impa!_

_He has no honor, and no shame. He would do anything to get his way and I hate him so much. I wish I could stop him somehow, but I'm powerless here alone._

_Jesslyn was with me. It turns out a village boy told Calhoun he had seen her. Calhoun found her and took her back to the castle, then got to me. I'm sure...that he would have celebrated our wedding night early at that time, if not for my new guardian angel._

_Something, I don't know what, a ghost? Something dragged him back. Something fought all five of those men and won single-handedly. _

_It saved me._

_We took Calhoun back to the castle. The king wanted to have Jesslyn executed, but I talked him down to exile. Calhoun walked her to Gerudo Valley._

_He came back and told us that she had slipped trying to escape and had drowned. _

_Impa, I am so sorry. It's all my fault. Calhoun was at fault, I know this. But don't get upset yet, there's more. I felt so guilty about it I tried to kill myself. It just seemed like everyone I loved and cared for was dying or being hurt because of me. I felt more alone than I had since the day Link died. I didn't know what to do anymore._

_So I jumped off the balcony at sunset that night._

_I passed out before I hit the ground. When I woke up, I was perfectly safe and there was a message written in blue glowing letters on the side of the castle walls. "_She lives. Don't give up yet. You are not alone._"_

_So I didn't give up. But that _frightened_ me, Impa! Guards were outside; why didn't they see the words as well? I really think something strange is going on. _

_Funny thing is, every time I get saved like this, I find a lavender rose somewhere nearby. The soldiers are talking of ghosts. _

_But that's impossible, right?_

_I don't know what to think. But I believe in my heart Jesslyn is somehow alive. If you have any advice to offer, I'd be more than happy to listen._

_I love you and miss you terribly._

_Zelda_

She folded the letter, stamped it with candle wax, and tucked it in her pocket. The servants were always up early. She found a young boy who had done the mail for her before when Jesslyn could not and gave him a purple rupee. He grinned and set off at once.

x-x-x

A week later, Impa received the letter.

It was well-worn by the time it reached her; it had gone through many channels to get to Gerudo Valley. But it was still intact. She had been out when Malon brought it in, looking in the Gerudos' library for medicine spells.

She walked back to the small shack she and her son shared, teeth gritted in frustration. All they had were books on fighting.

The shack was old and small, but very sturdy. It had originally had three rooms, but they had added a fourth room and covered porch. The central room served as a kitchen and living room, and other rooms on right, left, and back sides of the house served as bedrooms. The porch was in the front. They hadn't decorated it much; there wasn't much to decorate with in Gerudo Valley. The structure lay between the Gerudo Fortress and the Haunted Wasteland; it had once been used to house the guards on watch. Nabooru had been more than happy to let Impa have it, however, when the fellow sage explained her problem.

Impa saw her son sitting on the porch, agitatedly plucking random notes on his harp. He only did this when he was waiting on something or when he was under emotional stress. As soon as he saw his mother, he jumped up.

"A letter's arrived from the castle," he said in a rush. "Zel's handwriting."

Impa's eyebrows shot up and her mood changed at once.

"Did you open it?"

"Not yet. Wanted to wait for you." Sheik had stood up and was pacing back and forth. "Here." He held out his hand. In it was a worn piece of paper folded up and stamped with wax that had the Triforce embedded in it—definitely Zelda's.

Impa undid the seal and her eyes moved over the letter once and her eyes grew wide.

"_What?_" Sheik exploded. "Let me see!"

"Wait, I'm not done."

Impa read it twice more and then handed him the letter.

"She _what?_" he said aloud after a moment.

"Keep reading," Impa urged.

There was a long silence as he too scanned the letter over several times.

"Good grief," he uttered, sinking down onto the porch. "I can't believe it."

Letter clutched in one shaking hand, he walked inside, his mother following him. He walked from the main room of the house to the right room. This room was adorned with a small bed against the far wall with worn blankets and a crate next to it for a nightstand, where a pitcher of water and a single candle sat. Other crates were arranged on the inside wall to resemble shelves; on these were folded clothes, a lantern, other candle, matches, two old books, a quill, a bottle of ink, and some blank yellow paper. The room was very dark; no light had been lit and the curtains were thick and heavy over the one window, blocking out the sunset.

Sheik sank down onto the bed and glanced at the lump in the blankets. He prodded it gently.

"Eh?"

"Wake up."

"I can't believe she tried to jump off of a balcony!" Impa exploded finally.

"Mother," moaned Jesslyn. "I've a terrible headache still."

"I'm sorry, hon."

"Can you read?" Sheik asked. "We've gotten a letter."

"I'm not thinking so," Jesslyn replied. "My eyes are still too dark." All she could see was vague, dark figures moving around. Along with that, she had suffered several broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, sudden and severe headaches, and memory lapses where she sometimes totally forgot who or where she was. She had hit the water headfirst, and had gone with several minutes without air. Everyone involved agreed she was very, very lucky.

She was healing well. Her chest was sore, but it would heal in time. Her shoulder had been popped back into place. The headaches had gotten less painful by far, but still took her by surprise. The memory lapses, which were a result of going so long without oxygen, didn't last quite as long, nor did they come in the mornings, after she had slept; just in the afternoons and evenings when she was tired. For this reason she slept as much as possible and tried her best to get well. She hated staying in bed.

"You'll get your sight back," Impa assured her. "It will return in time. Even faster once I find the medicine books." She gave Sheik a look that said quite plainly, "I hope."

"You don't know that," Jesslyn said sadly. "Now who jumped off a balcony?"

"Zel did," Sheik said. "The letter is from her."

"Has she gone mad!" Jesslyn cried at once, sitting up on her elbows and looking frantic. "Is she all right? She isn't—is she?"

"Calm down. She's fine, physically," Impa said. "Here, I'll read the letter." She read it slowly, being interrupted by violent cursing from both of her children at various times.

"You must write back at once," Jesslyn insisted after Impa was through. "She's got to know what that bastard told me."

"She'd never get Harkinian to believe it," Impa said, her eyes darkening. "He thinks Calhoun can do no wrong."

"But he killed—!"

"Shh, I know. It makes me mad too. I'll write back. We can't go into town and I don't want to wait for Malon...I wonder if Nabooru would deliver the letter for us..."

She shook her head and began to draft a response in her head. While she was thinking she got up and retrieved the matches, lighting the single candle.

"Does that hurt your eyes?" she asked Jesslyn.

"No, it's fine." Jesslyn's sight, though almost completely gone, had left her sensitive to light. At first they had not been able to even much as light a match around her. Now they were working their way up to candles and sometimes lanterns.

"I should have killed him when I had the chance," Sheik said regretfully. He and Impa had fought hard against Zelda's marriage to Calhoun; Calhoun had eventually insulted Zelda and Sheik attacked him for it. Impa, already stirring trouble, was exiled with him.

"No, you'd've been killed," Jesslyn said. She sighed. "It is amazing how much I've recovered, don't you know? I never expected to heal this fast."

"You're lucky," Impa said, kissing her forehead. She had been worried sick for the first few days when Jesslyn's headaches and memory losses had been at their worse. But she had pulled out, and was now even joking around and laughing.

"I suppose," Jesslyn said, yawning. "Do you mind if I go back to sleep? I can't seem to stay awake."

"I don't mind," Impa said, smiling. She and Sheik left the room, and Jesslyn blew out the candle. She lay back down in bed, closing her blinded eyes and trying to sleep.

A sudden wind rushed through the room. It was swift and violent. Crates and junk scattered everywhere. Papers landed in water and oil and the quill was crushed under the lantern.

"What was that?" Impa asked Sheik in alarm from the next room over.

Jesslyn too had sat up with a start. She looked around the room, wide-eyed, surveying the damage.

And that was when she realized it.

She could see.

**AN:** FFNet sucks and I'm still responding to reviews the normal way. Though I do like the messaging system it's quite pointless to use it just for responding to reviews. And...what about the unsigned reviews! Eh! XD

Oh...and why does everyone think Link will come back when the seventh rose goes in? Oo; That...seems to be the popular vote here, but that's not quite what it will be. :shrugs:

**LittleDragonOfTruth: **Thank you. :makes a happy face:  
**Samantha B:** Hey, don't worry about Calhoun. He'll get his, I promise.  
**Kinomoto-san:** You get a cookie for guessing, even if it wasn't right. :gives: I'm glad you like the flashbacks. I thought they added to the cheesy factor, myself.  
**Sonicfanatic: **Thank you!  
**SacredBlade:** Ahahaha, you know I love the drama.  
**Sakura Ineko:** Thanks—I'll try my best to keep the updates steady.  
**Atchika: **Took me a bit to get over the cheesy factor, too. But I always wanted to write something where I could do whatever the hell I wanted with it, rather than have to worry about it being too cheesy or cliché or whatever. This is the product of that wish, I guess. n.n;  
**Nonnahs: **Wrong, but close. I'm glad you like everything. n.n  
**Mullenium Master:** I don't mind at all, I'm flattered!  
**Itxier:** Thanks!  
**Frozen Fire: **Woot, and hopefully this will be even longer. Thanks, I'm flattered!  
**blondie91: **Thank you so much!  
**da marshmallow:** You're welcome, and your guess was close but not quite it.  
**Beyond My Mask of Confusion: **Thanks so much—yes, Jesslyn is based on Martha, as I've said. Dunno if you read that or not before guessing. n.n;  
**Skullkid: **Hehe, thanks. No, I'm pretty sure everyone else has it figured. What did you think it was?  
**leedom111:** Thanks!  
**birdie101:** Thanks so much. Calhoun will get his, trust me.  
**Lonely Angel:** Thank you very much! I'm glad you like it.  
**J-boy: **Actually, the spirit isn't powerful enough to do any more than he's doing right now. He is coming back from the dead after all.  
**M.M:** Nah, blue just seemed like a good ghost color. n.n Thank you so much for commenting faithfully. I love you, I really do.  
**Star:** Thanks!  
**Fire'sMistress:** Calhoun will get what's coming to him, I promise you. And yes, Link has something to do with the roses. As for Jesslyn, you already know the answer to that.  
**MythCreatorWriter:** Hell yes, Link is hot.  
**sean:** Thanks!  
**Koume:** W00tz, it's Koume! Thanks for readin this, and for the flattering comment.

Whew. I tell you what. That's a whole lot of reviews. Getting really hard to respond to them all. :rubs eyes tiredly: Okay, so, yes. Jesslyn lives, yay. Calhoun does not, boo. Trust me dudes and dudettes, Calhoun will get his, okay? Story's almost over. Halfway. Won't be long before it's complete.

Adios!


	7. Chapter Six: Who Calhoun Killed

**Author's Notes:** Hello all, I'm back. I'm happy to say that I have the next chapter almost ready to go, save for a few kinks, so it should be up soon after this one. This one wasn't as long as the one before it, but I don't think any of them will be. I hope you enjoy it regardless.

Chapter Six: Who Calhoun Killed

"_I wish you'd just tell me what's bothering you," Link said sadly. "I only want to help, you know."_

"_It's nothing, really," Zelda lied wearily, just stopping herself from snapping at him._

_Link gazed at her. "Now you know that's not the truth. People don't cry over nothing."_

_She cursed mentally. She had come to the roof of the castle to cry alone, leaving dinner early, but he had followed her and found her. He wouldn't _let_ her be alone._

"_Come on," he said. "What is it that you can't tell me?" He brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and a sudden thought seemed to occur to him. "Is someone hurting you?" he asked fiercely._

"_No, no," Zelda assured him hastily. "Nothing like that." She remained silent for a long time. "It's just...I'll be twenty soon. And at twenty-one, if I don't marry, my father has the right to choose someone for me—he already has some Prince Calhoun or whoever in mind. But I...I don't want to get married that soon, to someone I don't know!" she said. "I mean right now he's expressing concerns about me and you just because you're not royalty. But I mean gosh! I just want to be able to like someone the way I like you without having to worry about if I'm going to marry them or not, you know?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_And all I'm doing for you is making your life more complicated! I mean, going out with a princess...I know you hear some of the things people say about us."_

"_So...what are you saying?"_

_Zelda looked down. "I don't want to...but...for you...I thought it'd be better if we were just friends."_

_There was a long silence in which Link didn't say anything. Zelda felt awkward. _

"_I should go," she said, getting up and turning away._

"_Wait." _

_Link caught her by the hand and she turned back to him, eyes full of tears._

"_Zelda, don't. Don't push me away because you think you're hurting me. I don't care."_

"_But—"_

"_I _don't_," Link said. "I'd walk through hell for you, I mean it."_

"_Link...?"_

"_I love you," he said fiercely. "And your father can't change it and you can't change it and I can't change it. I love you and I _won't_ let you leave me over something so stupid as that."_

_Zelda was touched, deeply._

"_You mean that?" she whispered._

"_Yes," Link said, fiery passion behind his eyes. "I love you, too much to let you go."_

The letter Impa wrote back was sent with Nabooru, who, besides being a quick rider and a good friend to a fellow sage, had decided after learning of their most recent discovery of Calhoun's crimes, she wanted to intimidate him for herself. It was a very short letter, but with very important information in it; Impa wouldn't have trusted Nabooru, with her care-free and laid back personality, to deliver it, except that Nabooru was a fellow sage and despite the pretenses a dear friend.

"It'll be there this afternoon," she told Impa cheerfully, saddling up. "So how's Jesslyn doing? Her sight is still there?"

"Yes," said Impa. "A small miracle. I think our spirit had something to do with it—but it's only a spirit, and real people fight against real people, and that's why we need you. Please hurry, Nabooru."

"That I will," she said with a grin, and took off into the sunset, showering Impa with dust. Impa let out a good natured "hmph" and went back inside.

Damned exile.

x-x-x

"Whoa," Nabooru commanded her horse. "Hey! I said _stop_, dammit!"

Obediently the horse skidded to a halt in front of the drawbridge. Nabooru got off, grabbed the letter from the saddlebags, and let the horse go. It would come back; it always did.

She whistled as she walked through the Market. She received several stares—she was a Gerudo, after all—but she merely smiled and stared back. She hadn't been to the Market in awhile; most distrusted her because she usually pocketed something or another. Still, she was not pushed out today as she usually was. The people of Hyrule looked tired. Downtrodden. Broken. Too tired to push her out and almost happy to see an old face, someone they knew who cared.

She didn't like it. How _dare_ Calhoun try to take over their land?

Well, they had stopped a takeover once, and they would do it again if they had to.

She took her time in the Market even though it was getting dark—she could fight of the Stalchildren in the fields and she didn't care how long it took to get there, despite Impa's protests, so long as it got there in one piece.

It was, consequentially, a good thirty minutes before she reached the gates; she had stolen a pastry because she couldn't help herself and she hadn't brought any money. She'd been caught, but the man let her keep it anyway. She smiled remembering it and finished it off just before speaking to the guard at the gates.

"I am Nabooru, Sage of Spirit, and I am here to see the princess," Nabooru said.

"I'll have to escort you to Prince Calhoun first," the guard said. Nabooru just grinned. Her lucky day! The guard led her to Calhoun's room and knocked on the door. When he wasn't looking, Nabooru, an apt thief, coming from where she did, slipped a hand in his pocket and grabbed a small bag, deciding to look in it later.

Old habits die hard.

"Yes?" Calhoun snapped irritably.

"A Nabooru here, sir, requesting permission to see the princess on a visit. Claims she's a sage."

"_Claims!_ Why you little—"

"Open the door," Calhoun said.

The guard did so, stepping out of reach of the fuming Nabooru. Nabooru stood with her arms folded in front of Calhoun.

"Well?" she snapped. "Do I pass inspection?"

Calhoun's eyes roved over her body, partly because he couldn't help himself and partly to tick her off.

"That you do," he said.

"Pervert."

_Slut,_ Calhoun thought.

"I heard that," Nabooru said, eyes flashing angrily. "Sage, remember? I can hear _everything_ you're thinking."

"And I am a mage, and could freeze every drop of water in your body if I so wished."

Nabooru drew her scimitars.

"_Is that a threat?_"

Calhoun didn't want a fight, at least not today. Not to mention Nabooru would beat him hands down...she had both warrior skills _and_ some magic under her belt.

"No, _dear_ lady," he said, smirking. "Now tell me, on what matter do you need to see the princess?"

"She is a dear friend of mine, and I haven't spoken to her in a very long time. And, all the letters I send never seem to reach her, for she never writes back, though she swore she would."

"Perhaps she's busy."

"Perhaps _you're_ stopping her mail." Nabooru glowered at him, warrior stance still in place. "Don't tell me your lies."

Calhoun backed off.

"Certainly not. I have been stopping her mail...for her own good, of course. And the king approves."

"For whose good, I don't care. May I speak with her?"

"Very well. I'll send someone to bring her to the front hall. Talis," he snapped at the guard, "get Zelda and get a servant to go to the front hall. Write down everything they say."

"_What?_" Nabooru shrieked as the guard left.

"For her own good, Lady Nabooru," Calhoun said with a cold smile.

Nabooru smirked at him. "And I suppose trying to kill that servant girl—a sage's own daughter!—was for her own good too?" Now she would show him just how much she knew...freak him out a little.

"She slipped and fell," Calhoun said coldly. "It was a tragic accident."

"Just so you know, you didn't kill her. She's still alive. And she told us all _everything_ you said that day."

Calhoun froze.

"Everything?"

"Everything."

They locked eyes.

"And I do mean _everything_."

x-x-x

Zelda sat in her room, on her bed, staring at her vase with the roses in it. She looked back down at her hand, with the Triforce mark still there.

"What good is this," she sighed, "If I can do nothing to protect the ones I love. Wisdom I may have, but right now it's not doing much in the fight against Hyrule's enemies, or even my own enemies...Link was always the fighter, the protector..."

_Zelda's eyes were wide with terror inside her crystal prison. She watched as Link drove the Master Sword through Ganondorf's chest; he coughed up blood and fell to the ground. Link looked horrified with himself._

"_It isn't over," Ganondorf hissed. Zelda's prison shattered and she fell to the ground. Link was at her side at once._

"_Are you all right?"_

"_Yes—"_

_The walls began to shake and collapse. _

"_We gotta get out of here," Link said, sheathing his bloody sword and taking Zelda by the hand. "Come on."_

_A piece of rubble fell. Zelda tried to let go of Link's hand, but he pulled her to him, shielding her. Always, he would protect her. Always._

The mark on her hand started to glow, startling her out of her thoughts. Zelda looked off into space, frowning. Was it trying to tell her something? She got up and paced to her door, her long, sensitive ears listening for any sound. She heard yelling in the distance, then a familiar voice cry out, "_Zelda!_"

Zelda gasped and yanked open the door, running outside of it. She could hardly believe her eyes when she saw who had come.

x-x-x

There was a very long silence in Calhoun's chamber.

"Princess Zelda is feeling ill today," Calhoun said at last. "It might not be in her best interests to have visitors."

"_You lie, you son of a bitch!_"

Nabooru spun around and ran in the other direction, hurriedly asking a passing servant directions to Zelda's room. She turned corners and dodged guards, an apt warrior and so quicker than all of them. She was almost there when Calhoun caught up to her and grabbed her, trying to get her back outside.

"Guards!" he shouted.

"_Zelda!_" Nabooru bellowed. In the end her lungs and arms were stronger; she threw off Calhoun just as Zelda exited her room, looking shocked.

"Nabooru?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"I have a letter for you from Impa," Nabooru panted, taking it out and giving it to her. "And there's something you ought to know. You were right, Calhoun tried to kill Jesslyn. But she's alive. She's fine."

"Oh thank the Goddesses—"

"Zelda, listen, I don't have much time. Jesslyn told us something Calhoun said to her right before he threw her off the bridge. She told us that he killed—"

Nabooru's words were cut off when Calhoun yanked her backwards and threw her into a group of about six men, all holding spears or swords or other weapons. Nabooru didn't stop fighting, but six men was just too many for her. They began to drag her out.

"Stop!" Zelda yelled, and they did.

"Remove her from this place!" Calhoun roared. His word had more authority. She was dragged, kicking and screaming, out of the castle. Zelda wanted to watch her go, but that letter was more important. She walked back to her room quickly, opening it and taking it out.

_My dearest Zelda—_

Calhoun jerked the letter away from her hands. "I believe this is mine now," he said.

"You give that back!" Zelda snarled, reaching for it.

But Calhoun balled it up and threw it in the fire.

"_No!_" Zelda struggled to get to it, but he held her back.

For the briefest moment, the letter began to catch fire, and then something happened. The pair of them froze in place and stared. The fire where the letter was melted away, as if it simply couldn't burn there, as if mist had suddenly come raining down and put it out. The letter was, for the most part, unharmed, and it sat there in the blank place amidst the flames.

Zelda felt a familiar tingling on the back of her neck.

_Here we go again..._

Calhoun growled and reached down to get it, but screamed when his hand touched the empty air where the fire had been. He drew his hand back; it was burned, as though he had stuck it in the fire...

The fire went up into the chimney about five feet, except for the space where the letter was, then vanished completely, and ash was thrown everywhere—all over Calhoun, the floor, the walls. Miraculously, it missed Zelda, though she was standing even closer to the fireplace than Calhoun had been.

The mage stumbled from the room, cursing and swearing. Zelda looked back down at the fireplace. Her hand shot down into the ashes, searching for her letter. Soon enough, she felt it—a little ball of wadded up paper. She pulled it out and brushed off as much of the ash she could. Some words had been smeared or, the case of the lover-right corner, burned off, but the most part, it was intact.

"'_My dearest Zelda,_'" she read. "'_I hope this letter finds you well._' Oh, Impa!" she said, tears filling her eyes. "If only you knew!" She wiped her eyes and continued to read.

"'_My dearest Zelda, I hope this letter finds you well, but who am I fooling? I know you are doing terribly and I'm sorry to see you suffer. I miss you terribly and wish I was there to help ease the pain somehow. But, to business. First, let me assure you that Jesslyn is doing just fine. She scared us for awhile there, but she's pulling through. She should be up and about in no time—no daughter of a sage dies that easily, especially not to a pig like him._'" Zelda laughed out loud, wiping her eyes. "That a girl, Jesslyn!" she whispered.

"'_I'm sorry this letter is so short, but time was of the essence when I began to write it. I didn't want you worrying over Jesslyn, and there is too much to tell you to wait. I asked Nabooru to deliver the letter, so I will wonder until she returns if the letter actually got to you at all._' Oh, she did a job all right, Impa," Zelda said, shaking her head sadly. "But our guardian angel couldn't have helped more." She took a breath and continued. "'_I love Nabooru dearly, but she is rather laid back and sometimes careless. If you haven't guessed, she and my son get along well. They're still trying to set him up with one of the many young women here._'" Zelda laughed again. "Sheik, you womanizer."

"'_But I keep getting sidetracked. There is some important information you need to know. When Malon delivered your letter, she told us of rumors, rumors that Calhoun is trying to unseat the throne. This was confirmed by what Jesslyn told us—she said Calhoun told her as soon as he married you, he would kill you to get you out of the way, then use his massive armies of soulless soldiers—I am sure you know of them by now—to overthrow Hyrule and its government system, and crown himself king of the entire continent._'"

"I thought as much," Zelda whispered.

"'_As you know, we must not let that happen. Fear not for your life, Zelda; every person here in this valley would gladly lay down their life for their princess, and I know many outside this valley would do the same. You brought us out of very dark times, Zelda, with the help of Link, and, despite what you may think, not everyone has forgotten._'" Tears filled Zelda's eyes again. "Oh, _Impa_..."

She reached the bottom of the letter where the words began to burn off.

"Huh? '_...one last thing I must—_' That word must be _tell_... '_...you before I end th..._' This letter? '_Jesslyn...before...revealed..._'" Zelda frowned and wiped some more ash off. "'_Calhoun killed._' What?"

Zelda went back and read it several times, but she couldn't make out the name of Calhoun's victim. Frowning, she put the letter under her mattress. She looked back at the ash. What a mess to clean up! And she wouldn't have the servants do it all, either. She got down on her knees and began to use her hands to sweep the ash into the fireplace. That was when she touched it.

_Oh my Goddesses._

Hands shaking, she pulled it out and shook it slightly; the ash fell off quickly and it almost glowed in the light coming in from her window. She stared at it a moment before putting this, the fifth rose, in the vase with all the others.

And then she knew who Calhoun had killed.

**AN:** Anyone want to guess? Come on, I know you can figure it out. Now unfortunately there will be no responses this time—it's very late, and I'm very tired, and I'd have a LOT of reviews to respond to! I thank each and every one of you for reviewing fro the bottom of my heart and I sear to God I'll do it the next time. (Or perhaps the time after! XP) I hope you've enjoyed this chapter, and for a tidbit, you get to find out who Calhoun killed and how he pulled it off! Hehe, I'll give it few days so I can get started on the one after it, and then put it up. See you then!

-Liz


	8. Chapter Seven: But One Life to Give

**Author's Notes:** I was truly thinking of discontinuing this forever. Having to rewrite three chapters was not what I'd call easy or fun. Can you imagine losing the complete story? Cause it was about a half a chapter away from being done on my hard drive, before, bam, the worm wiped it out.

Thank God for music. I heard some and it inspired me. And so I rewrote the next chapter. This chapter. Still have to rewrite a lot more, but I think I'll be continuing this little story after all. Apologize muchly for the wait and hope you all can forgive me.

Chapter Seven: But One Life to Give

_Zelda turned in her sleep, disturbed. Vivid images of earlier that day passed through her mind, terrifying her. _

_She thrashed in her bed, entangling herself in her sheets and bedcovers. Sweat poured down her face. Finally she sat bolt upright in her bed with a cry. _

_Link, who slept in the room right next to hers, was still lying awake due to his troubled thoughts about Zelda's would-be forced marriage. He heard her cry out and was almost immediately banging open the door to her room, at her side. _

_"Zelda?" he asked. "Zelda!" _

_But Zelda, though she was sitting up, was still asleep. She fought at Link, unable to see him; to her, he was a phantom of her nightmares. _

_"Zelda, it's me, it's Link," he said loudly, in her ear. _

_Her eyes snapped open. She started to cry and he hugged her to him. _

_"Are you okay?" he murmured, soothingly, stroking her hair. _

_"Y-yeah," Zelda said. "Just a nightmare. I'll be okay." _

_"What happened?" Link asked. She told him it was nothing, but she said it too quickly and he knew she was lying. _

_"Really...it...I don't..." _

_"Tell me," Link said, taking one of her hands with both of his. "Please." _

_"It just—earlier today—you know that prince who Daddy is trying to force me to marry? Calhoun? He saw me in the hall and—he grabbed me and pulled me into the nearest room—he said I was going to b his anyway and—and he wanted—he wanted—you know what he wanted—" _

_Link's face darkened into an expression of deep anger, but it didn't stay there long. He just continued to stroke Zelda's hair, murmuring soft words of comfort to her. _

_"Did he get all the way?" he asked, voice deathly quiet. _

_"N-no," Zelda said. "I got away. Someone heard me yelling and when they opened the door h just took off." _

_It was quiet for a while, Link holding her and she crying, but finally Link spoke. _

_"See if you can try to sleep. I'll stay here with you to keep you safe, I promise." _

The revelation of what she knew haunted Zelda throughout the day. It weighed on her like a thousand boulders. It swirled inside her head like a cyclone. It rang in her ears, a little voice in her head, over and over: _Calhoun killed Link. Calhoun killed Link._

How could it be? How could he have possibly killed Link with his own sword, without Link struggling at all?

The day passed by in a haze. Zelda refused to come out from her room. She had done this before, so no one bothered to try and make her do anything else. She was only disturbed once, to ask if she wanted supper. She replied that she didn't. She felt sick. She received a tray anyway, slid under the door.

Zelda grumbled and got up to push it back out, to scream at whoever the poor person was that she _said_ she wasn't hungry.

But there was no food on the tray, just a rose, lavender rose. It did little to distract her from her thoughts—it only made them worse. She put the rose in the vase—that made six—and cried. She went outside on the balcony, but it did her little good to get fresh air—all she remembered was jumping off of it and being saved by...

_Forget it, Zelda. That's crazy. _

Calhoun. The low, dirty, lying bastard. He would do anything to get to her...she knew that. But somehow she never even dreamed he would sink so low...!

He had tried to kill Jesslyn. And all along, that should have been more than enough proof.

But Link. Her dear, sweet, Link. How had he been able to kill the Hero of Time? A demon with the Triforce of Power, the most powerful creature alive, had fallen to Link. So how had Calhoun managed to defeat him? With his own sword? How, how, _how_?

Zelda cried herself to sleep. She would never come out of her room again. Because she couldn't look Calhoun in the face anymore. Not after this.

Her dreams were troubled. In her mind's eye she saw Link, at the very last moment she'd seen him before his death. Kneeling by her bed, comforting her from a nightmare. A nightmare she'd had about Calhoun. He'd said, _"I'll stay here with you to keep you safe, I promise." _

_"Okay." Zelda laid back down, Link's hand still in hers. "I love you," she said. _

_"I love you, too," Link told her. _

_He watched as she fell asleep, as her breathing became deep and even. Then he gently took his hand from hers, and walked to her door. But he didn't leave. Link looked back at her, and walked swiftly back to her bed, giving her quick a kiss on the forehead. Then he was gone. _

_He went back to his room, got dressed, and got equipped. He pulled on his Hylian Shield and donned the Master Sword. Taking a strong, deep, breath, he exited his own room and walked down the stairs to Calhoun's room, breathing deeply as he went. Why was his heart racing like this? Was he scared? No. He wasn't scared of Calhoun. But he felt it. Something wasn't right. _

_He paused before entering Calhoun's room. The mage would be asleep, probably. It was quite late. But that wasn't why he was hesitating, he admitted to himself. There was this very bad feeling in him, and he knew, he knew if he went in there he would— _

Stop it, that's crazy, _Link thought. He had to do this. _

_Calhoun had done too much. Forced himself into the king's confidence, trying to wed himself to Zelda, and then attempting to rape her. He would have to put an end to it, somehow, right then. Next time she may not be heard. And Link could not, would not allow her to be hurt. He loved her. _

_And he'd promised, among so many things, to keep her safe. _

"Don't do it," Zelda mumbled, turning over. She was deeply asleep now, but a light sweat had broken out over her forehead. "No Link please..."

_Link knocked on Calhoun's door. There was no response, so he opened the door and went inside. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was horribly, dreadfully, wrong. Seeing Calhoun awake at this hour only intensified the feeling. The mage was sitting at his desk, in the dark, candle-lit room, staring at the door. _

_"Yes?" he asked. He flicked his wrist; the door shut and locked behind Link. _

_Link told himself that he wasn't afraid of Calhoun, and he wasn't, but he was afraid of the situation. Something seemed wrong. He had heard old retired soldiers talk about the feeling. Knowing, somehow, without really knowing, just from the atmosphere, when battle was just about to break out. Though nothing was amiss, his heart was drumming in his chest, and he knew somehow, without really knowing: Something was very, very, wrong. _

_"You and I, we need to talk," Link said, taking a step in the room. His left hand twitched, longing to draw his sword, but he kept himself in check. Why was he so jumpy? "Right here, right now." _

_"Talk," Calhoun said simply. It unnerved Link further that he was being so quiet. _

_"I don't like the way you've been treating Zelda. I don't like what you've been doing. And what you did today was unacceptable. Do you know she—" _

_"Had a nightmare about it?" supplied Calhoun. _

_Link's mouth fell open. He clenched it shut quickly. Now he could draw his sword, and he did. It helped him feel safer, being armed. But that feeling of dread, of nervousness, it was still there— _

_"You can charge at me if you'd like," Calhoun said, smiling. It was a pleasant smile, but also one of victory. And it was cold. "There is a magical shield between you and I, and only I can break it. You could scream, too; the room has been sealed with magic to make it soundproof." _

_"How," Link started in a low growl, "Did you—" _

_"Ah, my dear peasant, why do you have to insist upon having such a simple mindset? I caused Zelda to have the nightmare. I pulled her out of the hall today simply so she would have the nightmare." _

_"How dare you!" Link said. "Why did you—" _

_"Because I want her," Calhoun said softly. "And I will have her. But to do that, I need to remove you. And the one weakness the Hero of Time has is his one true love..." _

_Calhoun stood, smiling his terrible, cold smile. _

_He turned his back on Link. He got out a bowl from the desk drawer, and Link could see it was filled with something like liquid light. Calhoun dipped his finger in it and raised his hand. The light connected from the bowl to his finger. As if using finger paint on thin air, Calhoun drew a circle in the air. He lowered his hand. The circle stayed. In the middle of the circle, Link could see Zelda, sleeping peacefully. _

_"Did you know," Calhoun said softly, "That they say if you die in a dream, you wake and die in reality as well?" _

_"You bastard!" Link yelled. Forgetting the earlier warning, he ran forward, but was thrown back by Calhoun's magical shield. He saw nothing, but it felt as though he had run headlong into a brick wall. _

_"Mind your temper," Calhoun said, turning back to Link. But he was clearly enjoying having this much control over the Hero of Time. "you cursed at me, so believe I'll have to make you pay once..." _

_He glanced back up at the circle, where Zelda started whimpering, tossing and turning. _

_"She's being chased by a Moblin," Calhoun told Link, and he drew a second circle, to let Link see Zelda's dream. Indeed, she was running through Hyrule Field, as a very small girl, the day Ganon attacked Hyrule, just before Link first pulled the Master Sword. Link scowled, growling lowly. He had never gone back in time like Zelda had offered, so he had never undone this memory for her. _

_"Now watch; she'll trip and fall..." _

_And Zelda did trip and fall, scraping her hands. Link saw a small bit of blood appear on her sheets where her hands were gripping them in reality. _

_"How dare you hurt her!" he screamed angrily, moving forward again, and being knocked back. He had only felt this powerless once before; when Zelda had been kidnapped by Ganon. He had watched her go, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. He felt the same way now. _

_"That was your payment." _

Zelda had started to cry. Beside her bed, a figure, an almost transparent figure made of fleeting lights, knelt. It smoothed one hand over her forehead, keeping the dreams going. Because though it knew how upsetting the dreams were to Zelda, she had to know this.

"Zelda..."

Her eyes fluttered for a moment at the sound of the phantom speaking her name, because she knew that voice so well, but it laid its hand over her eyes and she fell into sleep again.

_Link swallowed hard. Calhoun now had complete control over him, and they both knew it. And Link hated it so much. But he would not allow anything to happen to Zelda. He simply would not allow it. _

_"What do you want from me?" Link asked evenly. Zelda was sleeping peacefully again, and he tried to make himself relax with this thought. But that awful dreadful feeling was worse than ever, and now he knew why. he knew what Calhoun wanted. _

_The mage's smirk was wide. He leaned close to Link, so that Link could see every detail of his face, but the shield was still protecting him from harm. _

_"You really are a simple peasant," he said softy. _

_Link glared at him. _

_"It is now what I want from you, simpleton, it is what I don't want from you," Calhoun said loudly, straightening up. "I don't want your trouble. I don't want you keeping my bride-to-be from me. I don't want you trying to convince the king I'm out to hurt him." _

_"He'll figure it out," Link said quickly. "He's no idiot. He'll know—" _

_"He already knows," Calhoun said. "You fool. Peasants are so simple," he added, sighing. "So very simple." _

_"What are you talking about?" Link growled. _

_"I have armies of million of men, soulless soldiers," Calhoun told Link. "Slowly but surely, they are conquering every country in the continent. I gave Harkinian a choice. He could make peace with me, and Hyrule could be the head of my empire—if I was allowed to marry Zelda. Or my solders could ravage his land, kill and enslave his people, and I would take Zelda anyway." Calhoun's smirk widened into a grinning leer. "He told me he would have to think about it. All this time Zelda's been wanting you, but he's been trying to make her want me. Because I let him think and think and he still can't find a way out of it." _

_Link was glaring at Calhoun, filled with a hate like he'd never known before. _

_"So you're forcing him to auction off his own daughter—" _

_"I am forcing him to do nothing," Calhoun replied. "I gave him a choice. And you know what the first thing he said to me was? He told me, 'You'll never get away with this. Link will stop you.'" _

_Calhoun spread his arms out wide, deactivating the shield. At the same time, Zelda's dream changed. She was being held at swordpoint by Calhoun himself. He could see her face as she slept, frowning, growing more upset. _

_"So go ahead," Calhoun said, throwing his head back and laughing. "Go ahead and stop me!" _

_And Link didn't dare make a move toward him, not with Zelda's life hanging in the air. _

_"Let her go," Link said quietly. "Let her go." _

_"Beg," Calhoun told him. "And drop to a knee while you're at it. Lord Calhoun would sound nice." _

_And Link was not too proud to beg for her life. _

_"Please," he said, kneeling. "Lord Calhoun, I beg of you...spare her life." _

_And this just made Calhoun laugh harder. _

_"Very well, I shall. What use is she to me dead, anyway? But," he said quickly, as Link started to stand, "There is something I want in exchange...a life for a life..." _

_Link's heart was drumming in his chest so loudly now he knew Calhoun had to have heard it. He had known what Calhoun wanted. He straightened up, knowing what was coming, knowing what he would have to give up. _

_"It's your life or hers." _

"No," Zelda choked out, and she started to sob. "Don't do this to him, don't do it, don't, please...Link don't, I need you, I need you!"

The form by her bed brushed its hand over her face, as if to wipe away the tears, but the hand passed right through Zelda.

"I'm sorry..."

_"So what will it be?" Calhoun asked Link. _

_"My life, of course," he replied quietly. "You knew that before you asked." _

_"Ah, good!" the mage said, clapping his hands in delight. "Then I shall ask you to remove your sword and shield and toss them to the floor. Easy, now, no false moves. You know what the risk is." _

_Link threw the Master Sword down, the Hylian Shield following right after. _

_"Good dog," Calhoun said. He was relishing in this, in his control over Link. _

_Link said nothing. _

_"Get in the center of the room. I'm going to fire a spell at you. It should only hurt for a few minutes...but it will feel like hell," Calhoun promised, grinning. _

_Link obediently walked to the center of Calhoun's bedroom, keeping his eyes on the image of Zelda's face, which had relaxed again into a peaceful state. _

_"Maybe you can kill my body," Link said quickly to Calhoun, "But I won't die so easily. Somehow, someway, I will protect her. I made a promise to do that. Somehow, I'll make sure you never get to do this. I'm warning you: _You will pay_." _

_"Admirable, noble last words," Calhoun said. "Too bad no one else will ever get to hear them." _

_Calhoun drew his hand back and began chanting the incantation for the spell. Ink took one long look at Zelda's face, and closed his eyes. He spoke his last words, words that Calhoun did not hear. _

"Zelda...I love you..."

Zelda heard these words in her head, in the dream, and with her ears, from the world of the waking. She was past the point of crying out now; silent tears streamed down her face.

The phantom by her bed stayed there with her. She wasn't done yet. There was more she had to see.

_Link cried out as the spell hit him, and he yelled and writhed as it took effect, shutting down his body. Calhoun just laughed, laughed at his pain, laughed because he knew he'd won. It wasn't long before link lay dead at Calhoun's feet, the laughter still ringing off the walls. _

_The mage grinned. _

_"So much for true love." _

_Calhoun used his magic to teleport himself, link's body, and Link's weapons up to Link's room. Upon arrival, Calhoun picked up the legendary blade and raised it above his head. He sliced downward, and the sword went through Link like a knife cutting through hot butter. A pool of blood spread out around Link, coloring his clothes and hair and skin scarlet. Calhoun stared at the sight. This is how they would find him the next morning. _

The dream Zelda was having changed. It backtracked, back to the moment when Calhoun released the spell.

_The pain hit Link like a ton of bricks. He cried out, not expecting it to hurt this much. Link fell to his knees before Calhoun again, and the mage laughed, and laughed, and Link couldn't think or breathe, because the pain was so terrible— _

_All the sudden, he was floating. There was nothing but a white abyss around him. And he knew that he was dead. _

_"No, damn it!" he screamed. He didn't know who he was talking to; the Goddesses, perhaps. And as the thought hit him, he knew, yes, he would shout it at them. "I won't go out like this! I swore to be there for her! I promised to keep her safe! I told her I'd never leave her! I love her! _I love her_!" _

_Nothing answered him. Link's fists clenched. He realized tears were pouring down his face. _

_"I saved this whole place!" he yelled. "I went through hell to save your lands, did it to save Hyrule. All I want is to be able to protect her. You can't deny me that! Come on, you lousy bitches, give me this one thing!" _

_Maybe it was because he insulted them or maybe it was because he wanted I bad enough, but squinting through the white he could make out three figures, standing far away. He could see they were female, but nothing else He put his hand up to look better— _

_And he was jerked forward. A rushing sound filled his ears and he lost sight of the three women. It wet on forever, him being pulled forward through everything and nothing all at once. He was going to burst, going to bust for them pressure of it all— _

_He was floating. Outside a castle. It was sunrise. He looked down; he could see himself, but there was nothing supporting him. He was floating. Where was he, anyway? Why a castle? Ad someone he known lived in a castle, once? His brain was clouded; he couldn't remember. _

_Link found himself staring at a nearby balcony. It looked so familiar, though he didn't know why. why was it familiar? Had he been there before? _

_It wasn't until the woman walked out onto the balcony that everything came back, rushing at him, flying at him, too fast, but not fast enough. _

_"Zelda," Link tried to call out. But he had no voice. _

_"Link," she said, softly, "I have to marry this prince today. I don't want to. I want to marry you. But I'm twenty-one. And it's the law; I must be married to produce...heirs..." _

_"They can't do that!" Link's mouth formed the words, but nothing came out. He let himself move closer to her. She was twenty-one...so a whole year had passed that quickly, in the blink of an eye... _

_It hurt him to see her so close to breaking down like that, to see her so afraid. _

_"You promised you would never leave me, Link," Zelda whispered. "And I know in my heart a part of you will live in me forever, but I need you, and you said once you'd come if I called you, right?" _

_"Yes," Link tried to tell her. "Yes, Zelda, I did, and I will..." _

_He watched her hesitate, watched her eyes fill with tears, and watched her throw her caution away. _

_"_Liiink!_" _

_He heard her voice echo through the courtyards, over the hills, in the Market, through the forests and the mountains and the lakes and rivers and deserts and villages. The whole world heard her, heard her cry out the name of her one true love. His name. _

_And he could not answer her back. _

_After a long silence, she spoke. _

_"Well what I expecting? A miracle?" _

_He watched her get angry, watched her go back into her room. He saw her knock the vase off the table, watched her throw that lavender rose out the window. _

_Watched as she collapsed on the bed crying. _

_Unable to help or even comfort her. _

What was life like for you with just him there? Without me to protect you?

_"I need you..." _

_Link could bear it no more. He plummeted to the ground, moving very easily in his spirit form. He searched and searched until he found the rose, and then he glided back up to her room. When he entered, a cold wind followed him. Zelda had gone, but maybe that was for the better. _

_Everything rustled gently in the breeze, then moved a little more as the wind grew fiercer. The curtains flapped wildly, tangling in the table legs of the table by the window. The pieces of the broken vase were scattered and whipped over the edge of the balcony. Finally, everything stopped, and silence reigned once more. The curtains settled back down and everything ceased to move. _

_And sitting on the table was a vase, the vase, and in it was a lavender rose. _

Zelda awoke with a cry. The form by her bed had vanished, replaced by the eerie blue words that write themselves on walls.

These had been written in _his_ handwriting. She could tell now that they had. She read them once and gasped, the tears still spilling out of her eyes.

_I am sorry,_ the words said, _that I but had one life to give._

Beneath the words was the final lavender rose. Zelda, tears coursing down her cheeks, picked it up with one shaking hand and added it to the vase.

"Oh _Link_," she cried, before collapsing onto her bed and crying. Her sobs echoed around the room, which suddenly felt colder and emptier than she had ever remembered it. "Oh, Link..."

Zelda cried. She she did not fall back asleep until dawn.

**AN: **It would be pointless to respond to reviews after so long. So I'll just ask you to review again. XP Please?

Also, remember once how you guys prayed for George and Marshall for me? Well, I'm asking another request. My eighty-six-year-old grandfather recently discovered he had kidney cancer. They removed the kidney, but while he was still recovering from the operation, he had a heart attack. Now it looks like he may need open heart surgery—five bypasses. For those of you who don't know (I didn't) that is A Big Deal. Bypasses, just one, are A Big Deal. So five, is like, The Biggest Deal. I'm really worried about him. So if you are the praying type, please send one up for m grandfather. He could really use it.

Sorry if that gets annoying. But it would really help us over here out. Thanks so much. Please leave a review too, cause that makes Liz happy. : )

Also, a note, in case this was confusing: The italics are Zelda's dream, which are Link's memories. The normal text is what Zelda is doing as she's dreaming; talking in her sleep or the like.

I love you all and again I apologize for the wait. 


	9. Chapter Eight: From Beyond the Grave

**Author's note:** What the fuck, where has Liz been? Well, she's been playing FFXI. Don't buy the game—your life goes down the tubes but all you can do is want more! Erm, anyways, I went over this chapter today and it looks okay, so I decided to go ahead and put it up. I had totally forgotten it wasn't on FFNet yet...you could have had it months ago. I'm sorry! Please enjoy.

Chapter Eight: From Beyond the Grave

"_It's time for you to go, Link."_

"_Go? Where?"_

"_Not where...when. Back. To the way you're supposed to be..."_

"_What? Zelda no..."_

_Tears started. She wiped them away. She couldn't let her feelings for him get in the way. He probably didn't feel the same, anyway..._

"_Link, you need to go back. Ganon is gone, and we're at peace now. So we need to take care of you, because you've done so much. You have to go back. It's what will be best for you."_

"_But Zelda, you have to rebuild. You'll need help."_

"_I'll manage." Crying harder now. What a lie._

"_You can't just send me back in time..."_

"_I have to. Your life was ruined because of me. I dragged you into my problems. I'm the worst thing that's ever _happened_ to you!"_

_Link stared at her. _

"_Is that what you think?" he murmured._

"_It's the truth."_

"_No. It couldn't be further from it. Princess Zelda, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I won't go back, even if you hate me for it. Because you need me...and I need you. I love you, Zelda."_

_And before she could say anything back he had met her lips with his in a passionate kiss._

Zelda lay perfectly still on her bed, letting the sounds of the morning wash over her. It was a gray, dreary dawn, and her tears had finally stopped, and all she could do was listen.

Birds sang. She heard frogs. A light sheet of rain beat down upon the walls of the palace. The winds had picked up, brushing through the trees.

Someone knocked on her door.

"Princess, are you in there?" A servant girl.

"Yes, I'm here. I don't want to be disturbed."

"Very well."

The girl left, to report back to the king and Calhoun that Zelda still didn't want to come out of her room. The rain and wind got a little harder.

Several more people came. Zelda told them all to go away, getting less and less polite each time, listening to the storm get louder and louder. She listened to the win howl, the thunder crash; she saw tree branches fall and lightning strike a tree somewhere nearby, the fire put out by the rain. She saw and heard it all, but her mind was a million miles away. All she could do was think of her roses, the ones that seemed to stay healthy and alive, though much time had passed.

Finally, a little after lunch, there was another knock. Zelda, temper snapping, got up, walked to the door, and flung it open. A well-timed flash of lighting helped the dramatics.

"I _said_, I don't want to be—"

Her words died on her lips when she saw who had knocked. Of all people...

"Zelda!" Calhoun said, strolling into the room and putting his hands on her shoulders. She jerked away from him. Horror, fear, anger, and hate filled her. Anger was the worst one. Her thoughts rushed around in confused jumbles, everything blending into a spinning wheel of pain that was going so fast she felt sick. She wasn't thinking in sentences, sometimes not even coherent words. She didn't know what she felt towards him. All the negative emotions went into one bad feeling.

_He killed Link, I saw him do it—_

"I don't want to talk to you," she growled at last. "Go _away._"

_He killed Link because of me and it's my fault—_

"Zelda," he said again, his tone much lower. "You've been misbehaving. Not coming out of your room at all yesterday or today. Why? What are you up to?"

Of course. He thought she was attempting to run away again.

_But it can't be for nothing, I won't let him _die_ for nothing—I loved him more than anything—Link was my everything—so I will not run away—_

_I will never run away._

_Because you took my everything from me forever._

"I'm not up to anything," Zelda told him coldly. "And I don't wish to speak with a murderer."

"I've told you time and again I had nothing to do with the death of the servant—"

"I'm not talking about Jesslyn. Jesslyn is fine."

Calhoun's face darkened.

"What exactly was in that letter?" he asked. "I'm sure you read it despite my attempts, because of the..." Here he hesitated, not knowing what to call it. "Tell me. Tell me what was in the letter."

"The letter burned," Zelda said, with savage satisfaction at this half-truth. "All I could make out was that Jesslyn was alive and well."

"Then I don't see why you don't want to talk to me. I'm not a murderer, I'm—"

"You are a cold-blooded heartless _murderer_," Zelda said, with conviction.

Calhoun stared at her, wanting her to back down, but Zelda stared back, defiant, remembering—

"_They say if you die in a dream, you wake and die in reality as well..." _

"_It's your life or hers."_

"_So much for true love."_

At first Calhoun and his crimes were all that were in her thoughts. But as she stood there, staring him down, she felt strong. Because she could remember Link, too, remember how much they had loved each other, and how Calhoun tried to take it all away—

_But you didn't. He's still here, protecting me._

"_I'm sorry...that I had but one life to give."_

_A gentle hand stroking her face._

"_I love you, Zelda..."_

_Brushing the hair away from her eyes._

"_Always."_

_Drawing her close, so close she could hear his heartbeat._

"_Forever."_

_And meeting her lips with his in a tender kiss._

"_I promise."_

She refused to look away. So much for true love, _indeed_.

"You killed Link, you son of a _bitch_."

Calhoun took a step forward, as silent as a ghost.

Suddenly, letting on what she knew didn't seem like such a good idea. Great, he was probably going to get her too now. Zelda started looking around wildly as Calhoun advanced on her. Where in the world was Link? Funny how lately whenever she needed him he'd shown up but now when Calhoun was trying to murder her for what she knew (and possibly for the insult as well) her hero was nowhere to be fou—

_Wham._

Calhoun hit the floor, groaning. Zelda stared down at him.

"You don't want to do that."

It wasn't Calhoun or Zelda who spoke. Calhoun's head jerked up, along with Zelda's, as they searched for the source. She knew that voice. he was here. Speaking. He was here. _He_ was actually _here_.

"Who's there?" Calhoun demanded, scrambling to his feet.

"Oh, but don't you remember me? I'm _hurt_, Calhoun. I believe it's been a little more than a year, and I still remember you. Trust me..."

The next words came out in a whisper.

"I could never forget."

The voice was everywhere and nowhere. It sounded like a madman talking. Then Zelda felt it whisper in her ear.

"Don't worry, love. I'm perfectly sane. I'm just scaring him."

She knew Calhoun couldn't hear it but she froze right up, having heard that voice whisper words of love in her ear so many times before...

"Link?" she cried.

"He's dead," Calhoun snarled. "That pathetic little—"

Calhoun hit the floor again.

"Watch your mouth," the voice warned. "Didn't I warn you? I told you that you would pay."

Zelda felt a hand squeeze her shoulder gently, a touch so light Zelda was almost sure the hand was going through her. Though she looked over, there was no one there. Still, this was a big step up. Link had grown more powerful as a spirit.

Calhoun stood up again, slower. The hand left Zelda's shoulder, and she watched Calhoun. Something flickered before him, and she caught a glimpse of green.

"This is impossible," he said. "You're dead. You're _dead_. I killed you."

"I know. But I made a promise to keep her safe. And I'll be damned if you're the bastard who makes me break that promise."

The room flickered again. And Zelda saw him. Saw him flicker on and stay. There was Link. She could see right through him. But he was there. The same worn old boots, the same green tunic and hat, the same bright blue eyes and golden locks.

Calhoun turned white. And before Link or Zelda could stop him, he turned and ran out of he room.

Link didn't pause to watch him go. He turned at once, and his eyes searched Zelda's face. She was trying hard, so hard, not to break down into tears. She was seeing his face again. His face, that she hadn't seen in so long.

"Link..."

"I know," he said, and she believed him, only he would know every single bit of emotion she wanted to express, hidden in that single word. "We'll have to catch up later," he added apologetically. "You don't have much time...you've got to run."

"What?" Zelda asked.

"You've got to run. Calhoun was downstairs talking with his guards yesterday. He's planning to murder you and your father in the first moment he gets."

"Like he killed you..."

"Yes," Link said. He started to take her hands, but his just passed through hers, and all she could feel was the feather-light touch that was more imagination than feeling. "We're going to Gerudo Valley. You'll be safe there, with Impa and Sheik."

"Okay. How should we go?" Zelda asked, as she grabbed a cloak and donned it. The last thing she needed was to be recognized. "Are you solid enough to ride a horse, or...?"

"I'm a ghost, Zel. Horses spook way too easily for me to get near one, even if was solid enough to ride it. Sorry, but I have to walk. But we can save ourselves some time. Do me a favor and jump off the balcony again."

"What?" Zelda asked, astonished. She glanced outside. The weather was horrible. The earlier rain had turned into a raging storm.

"I caught you once. I can do I again. And trust me, if we go the back way, Calhoun won't find us anytime soon. Hurry up, before you lose sight of me. I flicker on and off," he added in an explanation to her confused look. "Sometimes I'm really strong like this. Other times you won't be able to see or even hear me. Last time..." Link shuddered. "I couldn't talk yet, not like I can now. I was afraid you'd jump and I'd lose you."

"But you caught me," Zelda said, exiting the window to the balcony. She was yelling now to be heard over the wind of the storm. "How can you catch me, yet not put your hand on m shoulder?"

"I'm bound by my word," Link explained with a grin. "I can't scream at you not to commit suicide, or kiss you, but I can protect you from death. Or immediate bodily harm. That's how I'm able to punch the goons that keep trying to hurt you."

"What about the plates?"

"One time shot of strength. I was so tired after that I haven't been able to move anything heavier than a few flowers since then."

"I enjoyed the roses."

"I was trying to tell you I was here."

"I'm sorry I took so long figuring it out," Zelda said, climbing up onto the edge of the rail, getting ready to jump. "And I'm sorry you died because of me..."

"And I _told_ you, I'm sorry I could only die once for you. You have nothing to feel guilty over. Come on, let's go. I'll pretend to hold your hand, okay?"

Zelda nodded quickly. She was soaked and freezing, and wanted to go. The sooner they got to hot Gerudo Valley, the better.

"You ready?" Link asked.

"Y-yeah..."

"Count to three."

Zelda started counting. A half second before she said three, Link plummeted down ahead of her, and Zelda had let herself fall before she realized he wasn't there anymore. She yelled with terror as she fell, but soon she caught up to Link, and he wrapped his arms around her as they fell together. Zelda closed her eyes and she almost thought she could feel his embrace.

Her fall slowed while he was holding her. Since he could float (somewhat) he was pulling back, pulling her up, slowing her down. By the time she touched the ground, she was going slow enough so that it didn't hurt at all. She and Link tumbled gently to the ground, rolling a few feet before coming to a halt. Link was on top of her, but he was now sort of falling through her. He stumbled to his feet, holding his head. That had taken quite some energy.

"You okay?" Zelda asked. Her heart was still pounding from jumping off eleven stories yet again.

"Hey, I'm dead. Not much else can happen to me. I'm fine, Zel, just a little...well, the feeling is hard to describe. But I'll be fine."

"That's a neat trick," she said, attempting to brush her wet hair out of her face.

"The practice run didn't go nearly as well," Link said mysteriously, leaving Zelda to wonder how close of a shave it had been to save her life the fist time she had jumped from that balcony. She started to stand and slipped on the mud. Link tried to take her elbow to help her up, but of course his hands passed through her arm. He cursed in frustration.

"I can manage," Zelda told him, trying to help him feel better. She carefully got to her feet again. "Okay, let's go."

They walked. They had to. They went around the back of the castle, narrowly avoiding Calhoun's men. After they got to the field, they were good to go. There was a thick fog and heavy rain, so visibility was limited. The only thing they had to worry about were their muddy footprints being spotted.

"Sometimes you make footprints, sometimes not," Zelda pointed out.

Link shrugged. At the moment he was still visible, so she could see it.

"One of the many quirks of being a ghost."

"You were the one last time it rained," Zelda said, remembering. "You wrote in the mud..."

"And threw rocks in the puddles. It was a good idea, and I can lift little things like that, so I helped."

Zelda kept walking on, looking own at the mud.

"What about the wedding?" she asked finally. "How did you do that?"

"I was just there," Link said. "At first whenever I went anywhere this huge wind started up. But I learned to tone it down. I just came in through the wall really fast, because I knew I had to get there in time even if I couldn't do a thing, and it fell all to pieces and everything blew everywhere. I was glad. I wanted it to. I couldn't let that...that...thing marry you."

"But I wasn't hit."

"No. I stood next to you, so everything blew around us. I was hoping you'd feel me there, but I guess at that point I wasn't strong enough for you to feel anything."

"I didn't even realize you were...you know...until I got Impa's letter. Thank you for saving it."

"Not a problem. All I did was stood in the fire. Fire can't burn where a ghost is standing, apparently."

They continued to talk, work out the details of Link's end of the adventure, all the way to Gerudo Valley. They were together again and neither of them could get enough of it. Despite the horrible situation, the pouring rain, and the fact that a murderer was after them, they laughed and smiled and had a good time. Because his company was worth more than she could say. All too often people said they'd give their arms or legs for just five more minutes with someone who was gone forever. Now Zelda was getting more than that, for free. It was worth everything to her to have this time with him. It was a miracle beyond anything she'd ever heard of, and she was touched his love was so strong that it had been able to bring about this phenomenon.

His love, she mused.

His love from beyond the grave.

x-x-x

The rains weren't in Gerudo Valley; they never were. But the skies were still a little cloudy, and the wind was worse here. Zelda shivered, cold. Link shot her a concerned glance. When he looked back before him, he froze.

"Oh, damn," he hissed. "The bridge..."

The bridge, in the recent winds, had been entirely knocked out. Since the had no horses, they couldn't jump it. There was no way across.

"Now what?" Zelda asked.

"I don't know."

"We could walk back and get horses. I'd walk mine."

"It'd take too long. Calhoun would find you and it'd all be over. I _refuse_ to let that happen." Link's eyes were determined and set.

"Maybe I could jump down—you could catch me—and then I could swim across the river? Then I could climb back up."

"You'd never make it across the river, it's really fast. I could hardly stand it when I untied Jesslyn's ropes, when Calhoun threw her in. Even you did make it across the other side is just a blank rock face, no one could climb that...what?"

Zelda was staring at him in wonder.

"You saved her?"

"I only wish. Sheik really saved her. All I could do was untie her, so she wouldn't sink. I wasn't that powerful at that point. The further away I am from you, the weaker I am."

"I wonder why that is..."

"Because you're the one I promised to protect. Not Jesslyn. But I had to help her...she's my friend—or she was before I died—and I know how much she means to you. Besides that, Calhoun wasn't being fair. He had her wrists tied and all."

"Bastard," Zelda said bitterly.

"Yeah."

"So I can't get across by swimming and climbing, and I can't jump it. We can't go back and get horses. What else?"

Link thought.

"Well I can get across cause I can sort of float...so I could go tell Impa and Sheik to bring horses...but then...I'd have to leave you here alone..."

"Is there anything else we can do?" Zelda said, reasonably. Her logic was working. "Just go quickly. I'll hide, and they won't find me."

"Zelda, I swore to _protect_ you. That's the entire reason I'm _here_. I can't just _leave_ you..."

"You'll have to. It's the only way."

"I can't," Link insisted.

Zelda sighed, then smiled.

"You stubborn fool," she teased softly. "All right then, what's your plan?"

Link opened his mouth, shut it, then opened it again.

"Well...um..."

"The quicker you go, the further we stay ahead of Calhoun," Zelda reminded him. "So hurry up."

Link balked, stalled, and protested. Finally, though, (Zelda's) logic won out. There really was no other way into Gerudo Valley, short of walking back to Lon Lon Ranch and getting horses—which would mean running into Calhoun, and running into Calhoun spelled out certain doom for Zelda.

"Here, right here," Link told her, leading the way to a bit of shrubbery poking up from the dry rock and sand. "Hide behind these. And use the cloak to cover your whole body. You're harder to see that way."

"I'll be okay, Link."

"If he comes stay still and quiet no matter what."

"I will."

"Promise me."

"I promise."

"And if he finds you, kick and bite and scream. Don't let him hurt you."

"I'll do my best. I promise," she added, before he could ask.

Link grinned nervously.

"I'll be right back."

And he was gone, walking as though he was skating on air, swooping out of sight—

Then he was back.

"I love you, Zelda."

Zelda laughed, but the tears fell down her face as he said it. It'd been a long time since she'd heard that from him.

"I love you too. Now go."

Link was gone in an instant. He was pretty fast, Zelda thought. Not that he hadn't been speedy while living, but while he was dead he was even quicker.

Too bad, she mused, that he couldn't keep up with horses...

"I love you," she said again, clenching her fists. "I love you, Link..."

**A/N: **Put simply, I am too lazy to respond. But, thank you so much for reviewing and being patient. I love you all! Please review again. I can't promise a quck update, but DO promise that I will leave NO story to rot!


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